Even though conspiracy theories are usually considered "crazy," sometimes there's truth to them—you just have to pick apart each theory, uncover hard evidence, and decide which ones are truly true.
The following conspiracy documentaries on Netflix bring attention to both well-known and obscure conspiracy theories. View each with a skeptical lens as you decide which ones are worth believing in.
9. MH370: The Plane That Disappeared (2023)
Directed by Louise Malkinson
Starring Intan Othman, Jeff Wise, Danica Weeks
Documentary
3 episodes (1 season)
Do you remember the MH370 incident? Back in 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 simply disappeared with 239 passengers on board. Nine years have passed since and people are still looking for answers.
In this fascinating documentary, we're made privy to the opinions of investigators, journalists, scientists, and family members who are trying to uncover the truth behind this absurd and traumatic event.
8. The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes (2022)
Directed by Emma Cooper
Starring Lauren Bacall, Gladys Baker, Ray Bull
Biography, Documentary (1h 41m)
Marilyn Monroe's death has often been the subject of several conspiracy theories. Was it suicide? Or was it part of a bigger plan? In this documentary, the chronology of Monroe's life is explored.
Several "unheard tapes" (i.e. interviews and recordings of people who personally knew her or got to know more about the events surrounding her death) are released and made public through this groundbreaking piece of documentary filmmaking.
7. Fugitive: The Curious Case of Carlos Ghosn (2022)
Directed by Lucy Blakstad
Starring Carlos Ghosn, Louis Schweitzer, Clément Lacombe
Documentary (1h 35m)
Carlos Ghosn is an important businessman who became famous due to his numerous high-profile roles—as CEO of Michelin North America, as chairman and CEO of Renault, AvtoVAZ, Nissan, and as chairman of Mitsubishi Motors.
Ghosn was arrested for several white-collar crimes: financial misconduct, misrepresenting his salary, and allegedly masterminding a long-term scheme to mislead financial authorities.
In Fugitive: The Curious Case of Carlos Ghosn, this documentary looks at his rise, fall, and current state of life from various points of view.
6. Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet (2022)
Directed by Brian Knappenberger
Starring Paul Black, Daniel Rigmaiden, Devin McGee
Crime, Documentary
6 episodes (1 season)
Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet is an anthology true crime docuseries that engages with digital misinformation and the consequences that arise from it.
Each episode portrays a different facet of the internet and how it can be used to harm people and commit several types of crimes.
Through interviews and montages, we get to know more about the dark side of the internet and its dangers, complete with a mixture of sci-fi undertones and social commentary.
5. The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness (2021)
Directed by Joshua Zeman
Starring Paul Giamatti, Charlie Ott, Phil Amicone
Crime, Documentary, History
4 episodes (1 season)
The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness is a docuseries about the theories and investigations by journalist Maury Terry.
Maury Terry spent 40 years of his life—and allegedly ruined his health—investigating the case of the killer David Berkowitz, more commonly known as the Son of Sam or the .44 Caliber Killer.
His story is well-known, but Maury Terry believed there was more to it and that Berkowitz's murders were actually part of a bigger plan that involved several people who were linked through a cult.
4. The Family (2019)
Directed by Trails Scott
Starring Jeff Sharlet, James Cromwell, Doug Hampton
Documentary
5 episodes (1 season)
America laid its foundation with the separation of church and state in mind. While Americans have long taken this right as a given, the two institutions might not be as separate as Americans think.
The Family exposes the prevalence of religion in the White House. A conservative Christian group, dubbed the Family or the Fellowship, has been involved with the American government for decades, influencing a number of presidents.
3. Dirty Money (2018)
Directed by Various
Starring Matt Taibbi, Fisher Stevens, Alex Gibney
Crime, Documentary
12 episodes (2 seasons)
Dirty Money investigates the impact of corporate greed. Each hour-long episode highlights a different case of corruption, unveiling fraud and illegal accounting in some of the biggest companies in the world.
The docuseries rehashes controversies like the Volkswagen emissions scandal, the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist, and much more.
2. Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014)
Directed by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn
Starring Bruce Hamilton, Kip Andersen, Al Gore
Documentary (1h 30m)
We've all been told that the main agents of climate change and pollution are those huge factories that pump plumes of smoke into the air—but what if that's not necessarily true?
Cowspiracy suggests that the agricultural industry has a negative impact on the environment, and activists are knowingly ignoring that fact.
The documentary sheds light on animal agriculture, and how it can wreak havoc on our forests, water sources, as well as our ozone.
1. Wormwood (2017)
Directed by Errol Morris
Starring Peter Sarsgaard, Molly Parker, Christian Camargo
Biography, Documentary, Drama
6 episodes (1 season)
Wormwood is a Netflix original docudrama series that investigates Frank Olson, a scientist who possibly contributed to a government biological warfare project without even knowing it.
In 1953, Olson fell to his death from a hotel window. Although his death was first considered a suicide, later investigations suggest that he may have been murdered.
Olson's story is relayed through his son, Eric Olson, who seeks to uncover the truth behind his father's mysterious death.