There are a lot of fun and binge-worthy Black shows and films on Netflix. Here are 12 Black shows and films coming to Netflix in 2025.
Netflix recently announced their 2025 at their Next On Netflix event hosted in Los Angeles and simulcasted all over the world. SHIFTER was at the event in Toronto where we not only learned more about what’s coming to Netflix this year, but new projects by Netflix Canada.
Here’s a look at some of the Black films and TV shows coming to Netflix in 2025.
American Manhunt: OJ Simpson
Netflix is back in 2025, giving the OJ Simpson trial the “American Manhunt” treatment after tackling The Boston Marathon Bombing. The four-episode docuseries takes another look at the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. It also features new interviews from prosecutors, the victims’ family members, and more!
Release date: January 29, 2025
EDDIE
Netflix has done a great job bringing us in-depth documentaries and docuseries on some of the biggest names in entertainment including David Beckham, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Vince McMahon, and TLC. Now, 2025 is the year when we get a documentary about one of the biggest comedic stars of all time.
Release date: 2025 (TBD)
Running Point
The upcoming Netflix series Running Point is not exactly a Black TV show, but with a number of Black cast members, it’s still invited to the cookout.
Produced by Mindy Kaling and starring Kate Hudson (Fool’s Gold, Glass Onion), Brenda Song (The Last Showgirl), and Jay Ellis (Insecure, Top Gun: Maverick), Running Point tells the story of Isla Gordon (Kate Hudson) who takes over as president of the Los Angeles Waves, one of the most legendary professional basketball teams, after her older brother is forced to step down after a scandal. Along the way, she’ll have to prove to hear remaining brothers, the board of directors, fanbase, sports commentators, and players that she was the right woman for the job. If the story sounds a bit familiar to basketball fans, that’s because it’s loosely based on the life of Los Angeles Lakers owner and president, Jeanie Buss, who is an executive producer on the project.
We received an early look at the series and it’s very well-done, from the comedy to the performances. Whether you’re a basketball fan or a female viewer who always enjoyed a good Kate Hudson film, this is a must watch.
Release date: February 27, 2025
The Residence
The Residence is the latest series from Shonda Rhimes, who has brought us megahit shows like Bridgerton, Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, How To Get Away With Murder, and and former Scandal writer and producer, Paul William Davies.
Starring Uzo Aduba as detective Cordelia Cupp, the series is a whodunnit murder mystery as Cupp looks to solve a murder at the deadliest state dinner in U.S. history. Rounding out the cast are Randall Park, Giancarlo Esposito, and Jason Lee.
With this cast and what Rhimes and Davies were able to do with Scandal, this is a guarantee smash.
Release date: March 20, 2025
R&B
With an all-star cast of Serayah McNeill (Empire, Kingdom Business), Tyler Lepley (Harlem, P-Valley), Phylicia Rashad, and recording artists, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Jermaine Dupri, Lecrae, and Yung Joc, R&B is a modern adaptation of the biblical story of Ruth and Boaz. The film is the first under a partnership between producers, Tyler Perry and DeVon Franklin, and Netflix. Perry and Franklin are used to producing hit films and TV series individually, but a tag team? We’re betting on this new creative duo striking gold once again.
Release date: 2025 (TBD)
Tyler Perry’s She The People
After about Tyler Perry’s Beauty in Black went #1 worldwide, the writer, actor, director, and producer is returning in 2025 with Tyler Perry’s She The People, a comedy series starring Terri J. Vaughn as a politician who, after being elected, finds herself in over her head. There’s not a lot of information out there about the series yet, but all we know is that it’s coming this year after the release of Season 1, Part 2 of Tyler Perry’s Beauty in Black.
Release date: 2025 (TBD)
Starting 5 (Season 2)
Netflix has been on a role in recent years with sports docuseries like Quarterbacks, Receivers, Full Swing. and Sprint. In 2024, they premiered their NBA basketball docuseries Starting 5, following the on-court and off-court lives of Lebron James, Jimmy Butler, Domantas Sibonis, Jayson Tatum, and Anthony Edwards. In 2025, Netflix is returning with a new starting five—Jaylen Brown, Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Haliburton, and James Harden.
Even though we live in a social media generation, it’s not everyday that we get a behind the scenes look into the personal lives of some of the biggest basketball players in the world. This is a much watch for basketball and sports fans in 2025.
Release date: Fall 2025 (TBD)
Straw
Straw is another Tyler Perry film coming to Netflix in 2025 featuring an all-star cast of Taraji P. Henson (The Color Purple, Fight Night), Sherri Shepherd (Precious, 30 Rock), Teyana Taylor (A Thousand and One), Glynn Turman (Rustin, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Sinbad (Atlanta, A Different World), and Rockmond Dunbar (Prison Break, Sons of Anarchy).
Henson plays a single mother who is led down an unexpected path after facing a series of unfortunate events. All of the public information about this film is rather vague, but this is an impressive cast who have all delivered in previous roles. There’s no official release date yet, so we’ll have to wait and see.
Release date: 2025 (TBD)
Survival of the Thickest (Season 2)
Michelle Buteau‘s Survival of the Thickest was a hit both among fans and critics alike, so it’s only right that Netflix comes back with another season in 2025.
Release date: March 27, 2025
Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Destination Wedding
Just when you thought Madea would ride off into the sunset, Tyler Perry returns with another installment in his most successful film or TV franchise to-date. Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Destination Wedding, the 13th film in the Madea Universe, sees Brian, his ex-wife Debrah, and the whole family suddenly head to the Bahamas for their daughter’s surprise wedding (to a rapper she met on a yacht). It already sounds crazy and messy.
It’s good that Perry can give us serious films while still going back to his roots and what made fans fall in love with his work in the first place.
Release date: 2025 (TBD)
Tyler Perry’s Beauty In Black (Season 1, Part 2)
I didn’t have high expectations for Season 1 of Tyler Perry’s Beauty In Black, but it was full of drama (as is to be expected) and pretty entertaining. It premiered and #2 worldwide, eventually rising to #1 so Perry did something right.
Now, the series is returning with Season 1, Part 2. The first part ended off on a cliff hanger so I’m actually excited to see what happening. One thing is for sure
Release date: 2025 (TBD)
Untitled SEC Football Series
As we said earlier, Netflix has been killing it with its sports docuseries. Now they’re sprinkling their magic on college football with an untitled SEC football series. It’s supposed to feature raw moments with coaches and players so college football fans, stay tuned!
Release date: 2025 (TBD)
The Vince Staples Show (Season 2)
The Vince Staples Show is another series that resonated with both fans and critics. It has a 94% rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes and 93% among viewers. What’s even more impressive is this series marked Staples’ debut as a TV writer.
The series feels like a love letter to Los Angeles while featuring some well-executed humor. Staples had become a bit of a personality and commentator in recent years, making his rounds on hip-hop podcasts. Looking back his loyal fanbase and his abilities as a communicator, both in music and as a kind of personality, his successful pivot into television is no surprise.
Release date: 2025 (TBD)
Honorable mention:
Honorable mention goes out to a number of upcoming Netflix series and films, including The Old Guard 2, an Untitled Kathryn Bigelow project starring Idris Elba, and The Abandons which co-stars Canadian actor, Lamar Johnson.
Kevin Bourne is SHIFTER’s Toronto-based editor and Senior Entertainment Reporter focusing on Black music and film & TV. He was named one of 300 international voters for the 81st and 8nd Golden Globe Awards and a Tomatometer-Approved Critic by Rotten Tomatoes.
