Netflix is adding another major historical drama to its March lineup. Nuremberg, the World War II psychological thriller led by Russell Crowe and Rami Malek, arrives on the platform on March 7, 2026.
Following a theatrical release in late 2025 and a strong premium video on demand run, the film now makes its streaming debut as part of Sony Pictures Classics’ Pay 1 window deal with Netflix. For viewers who missed it in theaters, this is a second chance to experience one of the year’s most intense historical dramas.
TL;DR
Nuremberg, the WWII psychological thriller starring Russell Crowe and Rami Malek, begins streaming on Netflix on March 7, 2026 after a theatrical and PVOD run. The film explores the chilling psychological battle between Hermann Göring and U.S. psychiatrist Douglas Kelley ahead of the Nuremberg trials.
What Is Nuremberg About?
Nuremberg is based on the nonfiction book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai. The story centers on U.S. Army psychiatrist Douglas Kelley, tasked with evaluating high ranking Nazi officials before the historic Nuremberg trials of 1945 to 1946.
Rather than focusing on the courtroom proceedings themselves, the film explores the psychological chess match between Kelley and one of his most infamous subjects, Hermann Göring.
Malek portrays Kelley as a methodical, observant doctor attempting to understand the minds behind some of history’s greatest atrocities. Crowe takes on the role of Göring, presenting him as charismatic, manipulative, and disturbingly self assured. As their sessions continue, the film builds a tense and unsettling dynamic between captor and captive.
The central question is not just about guilt. It is about the nature of evil. Can monstrous acts be explained through psychology? Or does attempting to understand them risk humanizing the inhuman?
Russell Crowe as Hermann Göring
Much of the film’s buzz has centered on Crowe’s performance. Critics have described his portrayal of Göring as chilling and unnervingly controlled. Rather than leaning into caricature, Crowe reportedly plays the Nazi leader with calculated charm, making his ideology and detachment all the more disturbing.
The performance earned attention during awards season, including placement on the BAFTA longlist. While it ultimately did not translate into major nominations, many reviewers cited Crowe’s work as the film’s standout element.
For Crowe, known for transformative performances across genres, this marks one of his most psychologically complex roles in years.
Rami Malek’s Intense Counterbalance
Opposite Crowe, Malek delivers a restrained but emotionally layered performance as Douglas Kelley. The role requires subtlety. Kelley is not a hero in the traditional sense but an observer trying to reconcile professional curiosity with moral horror.
Critics praised Malek’s ability to convey inner conflict without overstatement. As Göring attempts to manipulate and intellectually spar with his evaluator, Kelley must maintain clinical distance while confronting the weight of what these men represent.
The result is less an action driven war film and more a dialogue heavy psychological duel.
Supporting Cast and Direction
The ensemble cast adds further depth. Michael Shannon, Leo Woodall, John Slattery, Richard E. Grant, Colin Hanks, and Lotte Verbeek round out the cast, portraying military officials, legal authorities, and other key figures connected to the tribunal process.
The film marks the feature directorial debut of James Vanderbilt, best known for writing films such as Zodiac and Scream. Vanderbilt’s background in investigative and suspense driven storytelling aligns closely with Nuremberg’s tense tone.
Rather than staging large scale battle sequences, the film relies on confined spaces, interrogation rooms, and character driven suspense. The focus remains squarely on conversation, ideology, and psychological unraveling.
Release Timeline Explained
Nuremberg premiered in the United States on November 7, 2025 after debuting at the Toronto International Film Festival. Its theatrical run generated approximately $45.5 million worldwide, a respectable figure for a dialogue heavy historical drama but below some box office expectations domestically.
The film then moved to premium video on demand on December 23, 2025, where it reportedly topped digital charts during the holiday period. Now, its arrival on Netflix on March 7, 2026 positions it for a broader global audience.
This streaming release is part of the Sony Pictures Classics Pay 1 window agreement, which brings select theatrical titles to Netflix after their initial release windows.
Critical Reception and Why It Deserves a Second Look
Reviews for Nuremberg have been largely positive. Critics highlighted the strong central performances and the film’s willingness to tackle difficult moral questions. Some noted pacing issues and occasional historical simplifications, but most agreed that the psychological tension carried the film.
Because it underperformed slightly in U.S. theaters compared to early awards expectations, it has been described by some as a post theatrical hidden gem. The Netflix release could give it renewed visibility, especially among viewers interested in historical dramas similar in tone to recent prestige projects.
For audiences who appreciated the moral and scientific debates in Oppenheimer, Nuremberg offers a different but equally intense examination of responsibility and human capacity for destruction, albeit through the lens of psychiatry rather than physics.
Should You Watch Nuremberg on Netflix?
If you are drawn to character driven thrillers, historical dramas, or performances anchored in psychological complexity, Nuremberg is worth adding to your March watchlist.
It is not a traditional war epic. Instead, it is a study of minds under scrutiny. Crowe and Malek anchor the film with commanding performances that elevate it beyond a standard historical retelling.
With its Netflix debut on March 7, 2026, the film now has the opportunity to reach the wide streaming audience it may have missed in theaters.
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