(Photo Illustration by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)
Streaming services are always changing their programming, and every month I check in on Netflix to see what's leaving as licenses expire and movies and shows migrate elsewhere. September's a pretty big one for vanishing content, with several notable series like Spartacus and Orphan Black going away, along with the Rocky movie franchise and more. Here are our top picks to catch in September before they're gone.
Rocky Franchise (September 1)
It's always funny when every movie in a franchise enters or leaves the streaming arena, and September 1 sees all of the Rocky movies (and all of the Creed movies!) leave the ring. From the 1976 original that established Sylvester Stallone as a worldwide star, through the increasingly ridiculous sequels and the series' revitalization this century, it's a fascinating historical document. Strap on the gloves for one last marathon through the life of Rocky Balboa, his friends, and his foes.
Director: John G. Avildsen
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young
Genre: Sports
Rating: PG
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Poor Things (September 7)
Emma Stone's partnership with maverick Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos is one of the best things in the industry, as every movie they do together is both wickedly entertaining and deeply perplexing. 2023's Poor Things sees Stone cast as Bella Baxter, a woman who was brought back from the dead with the mind of an infant by Willem Dafoe's gleefully deranged scientist. Needless to say, things do not go well when Bella begins traveling the world and encountering a wide variety of unsavory people.
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Cast: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: R
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Spartacus Franchise (September 15)
Sometimes a single show can rocket a network into relevance, and that's what Spartacus did for Starz in 2010. The mainly movie channel ventured into original programming with the tale of a Thracian soldier who is condemned to fight in Rome's gladiatorial arenas, only to become a champion and vow to bring down the Empire. Through four series, Spartacus encounters brutal battles, heart-rending betrayals, and more. It's a perfect show for binge-watching, so start now, and you can probably finish the whole thing before it's gone.
Cast: Andy Whitfield, Lucy Lawless, Manu Bennett
Genre: Action
Rating: TV-MA
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Everything Leaving Netflix in September 2026
September 1
Black Lightning: Seasons 1-4
Creed
Creed II
Creed III
Desperado
The Fault in Our Stars
The Girl on the Train
Goosebumps
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
Hotel Mumbai
Legion
Matilda
Miracle
Muriel's Wedding
Orphan Black: Seasons 1-5
Passengers
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2
Rocky
Rocky Balboa
Rocky II
Rocky III
Rocky IV
Rocky V
Rookie of the Year
Rudy
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Zombieland
September 7
Poor Things
Redeeming Love
September 10
Bombshell
September 11
Girlfriends: Seasons 1-8
September 15
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Nashville: Seasons 1-6
Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena
Spartacus: Vengeance
Spartacus: War of the Damned
September 18
Lopez vs. Lopez: Seasons 1-2
September 23
Anatomy of a Fall
About Our Expert
K. Thor Jensen is a writer and cartoonist living in the Pacific Northwest. He has contributed to dozens of prestigious outlets, including PCMag, Tested, Clickhole, and Newsweek. His second graphic novel, Cloud Stories, was released in 2017.
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