Netflix Just Greenlit a Josh Brolin-Narrated WWII Series — And a New 'Turning Point' Doc About the Generation That Grew Up After 9/11

Netflix is doubling down on history content, and if you're into gripping war stories and documentaries that actually hit different, you're going to want to pay attention to what just dropped.

The streaming giant announced two major new documentary projects today: World War II: Behind Enemy Lines, a four-part docuseries narrated by Josh Brolin (yes, the guy from Dune, No Country for Old Men, and Weapons), and Turning Point: Generation 9/11, a feature-length documentary that examines how September 11 shaped an entire generation.

The 101st Airborne Like You've Never Seen Before

World War II: Behind Enemy Lines is coming from 72 Films, the same powerhouse production company behind World War II: From the Frontlines — which, if you don't know, won two Emmys in 2024. So the pedigree is real.

The series follows the 101st Airborne Division and their invasion of Europe, spanning from D-Day all the way to V-Day. What makes this particularly exciting is the footage: 72 Films has access to colorized and previously unseen archival material, which means you're not watching the same recycled clips every WWII documentary uses.

The series is executive produced by David Glover and Mark Raphael, the founders of 72 Films, which is backed by Fremantle. Their other credits include BBC docs like The Elon Musk Show and Michael Jackson: An American Tragedy — so they know how to handle big, complicated stories.

Expect it to premiere winter 2026 on Netflix.

Turning Point: The Generation That Inherited 9/11

Alongside the WWII series, Netflix is also launching Turning Point: Generation 9/11, directed by Brian Knappenberger — the filmmaker behind the entire Turning Point franchise, which has already covered the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the original 9/11 attacks.

This one's set to premiere September 2, 2026, and it takes a deeply personal approach. Instead of rehashing the geopolitical timeline, it focuses on the people whose lives were fundamentally altered by that single day:

• Children who lost parents in the attacks, now grown up
• Journalists who cut their teeth covering the original War on Terror
• Young Afghans and U.S. Marines dealing with the fallout of America's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan

The doc is produced by Knappenberger's own company Luminant, with executive producers including Clare Tucker, Jennifer Janisch, Alison Klayman, and Sarah Huisenga.

Netflix's History Bet Is Getting Serious

This announcement comes right after Netflix launched The American Experiment, a five-part series exec produced by none other than Tom Hanks, exploring the origins and future of American democracy as the country approaches its 250th anniversary. Netflix also recently unveiled the America 250th Collection, a curated slate of documentaries, scripted films, and series tied to American history.

Adam Del Deo, Netflix's VP of Documentary, put it plainly: "History isn't just something that happened — it shapes who we are and how we see the world."

Between WWII: Behind Enemy Lines, Turning Point: Generation 9/11, The American Experiment, and the existing Turning Point catalog (Vietnam, Cold War, 9/11), Netflix is basically building the most ambitious history documentary library on any streaming platform right now.

If you're the type who binges Band of Brothers every year or stayed up for Ken Burns' The Vietnam War, mark your calendars. Winter 2026 and September 2, respectively.