Top 10 must-watch documentaries of 2025: Secrets, scandals, and legends you can’t miss!

Get ready, docu-fans! 2025 is bringing some fire documentaries, and whether you’re a fan of true crime, tech giants, or comedy legends, these are sure to dominate the streaming scene in the coming year. We’ve sifted through festival buzz, critical hype, and cultural relevance to bring you the top 10 most talked-about documentaries of the year.

Spoiler: You’re going to want to watch all of them.

• Musk

Elon Musk is like the internet’s favourite and most divisive figure rolled into one. Tech wizard, space explorer, and electric vehicle powerhouse, Musk's world has everything: fame, fortune, controversy, and a touch of chaos. Filmmaker Alex Gibney, known for his no-holds-barred approach to documenting the powerful, will dig into Musk’s rise, unravelling the complex layers of ambition, fame, and the inevitable scandals.

Elon Musk’s journey from tech mogul to controversial figure – the rise of a modern icon

Getty Images

• Eddie

For comedy fans, this is the ultimate trip down memory lane. Eddie Murphy’s iconic career, from his hilarious stint on Saturday Night Live to becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, gets the documentary treatment it deserves. Expect interviews, laughs, and an honest look at Murphy’s legacy. It's not just about the characters he brought to life on screen, but the man who made them unforgettable.

Eddie Murphy’s legendary career on SNL and beyond – a comedic powerhouse's storyGetty Images

• SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night

Saturday Night Live isn’t just a TV show; it’s become a cultural institution. For its 50th birthday, NBC is serving up a juicy, four-part docuseries that unveils the untold stories behind the most iconic sketches, the legendary guest stars, and the hilarious chaos of live TV. If you’ve laughed, cringed, or had an SNL quote on repeat, this one’s for you.

- YouTubeyoutu.be

• Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché

Poly Styrene was more than a punk rock legend, right? In fact, she was a cultural trailblazer. This intimate doc, co-directed by her daughter, takes a closer look at Styrene’s rise to fame with X-Ray Spex and the emotional complexity of their mother-daughter relationship. It's a moving portrayal of a woman who broke barriers in the male-dominated punk scene.

- YouTubeyoutu.be

• Becoming Katharine Graham

Katharine Graham didn’t just publish The Washington Post, she also made history. As the first female publisher of a major newspaper, she steered the ship through some of America’s most defining moments, from the Pentagon Papers to Watergate. This documentary takes us inside her world, showing us her quiet resilience and remarkable leadership.

The untold story of Katharine Graham – the first female publisher to navigate America's biggest crisesIMDB

• We Want the Funk!

Funk is a movement, and Stanley Nelson’s doc takes us through the genre’s roots in West Africa to its explosive impact on everything from soul and jazz to hip-hop. With legends like George Clinton and James Brown sharing their stories, this is an education in sound, culture, and the Black experience.

Independent Lens | Trailer | WE WANT THE FUNK! | Season 26 | Episode 15www.pbs.org

• Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey

From the creator of My Octopus Teacher comes this stunning wildlife documentary following a baby pangolin’s rescue and return to the wild. Through the eyes of wildlife photographer Kulu, it tells a touching story about conservation and the human-animal connection.

A heart-warming journey of conservation – following a baby pangolin’s rescue and return to the wild.

Netflix

• Titan

The Titan disaster sent shockwaves across the world. This documentary explores the tragic 2023 OceanGate expedition that ended in tragedy when five explorers perished during a deep-sea mission to the Titanic wreck. A cautionary tale of ambition gone wrong, it looks at the tech, the people, and the decisions that led to disaster.

The tragic Titan disaster – exploring the events that led to the 2023 deep-sea tragedyInstagram

• The Invisible Doctrine

A cerebral exploration of how neoliberalism has shaped modern capitalism, economic inequality, and the looming environmental crisis. Adapted from George Monbiot’s book, this documentary tackles some of the most pressing issues facing the world today, bringing to light the hidden forces that have shaped modern society.

- YouTubeyoutu.be

• Twiggy

Twiggy revolutionised the face of fashion. This documentary will give fans a behind-the-scenes look at her rise from a teenage model to an international icon who became synonymous with the ‘60s. Expect interviews, archival footage, and a whole lot of nostalgia.

Twiggy’s rise from model to cultural icon – reliving the 60s and the face of fashionGetty Images

2025 is shaping up to be a year of stories that don’t just entertain but ones that make you think, feel, and maybe even question the world around you. From tech moguls like Elon Musk to comedic legends like Eddie Murphy and the legendary Katharine Graham, this year’s documentaries give us a varied palette for every type of viewer.