Netflix is dialing up the drama this May with a fresh slate of must-see releases that span suspenseful thrillers, sharp comedies, emotional teen dramas and chilling horror. Whether you’re in the mood for first-love complications (Forever), a chilling throwback slasher (Fear Street: Prom Queen) or a gripping true crime docuseries (American Manhunt), there’s something to suit every mood. Plus, highly anticipated newcomers like Sirens and Department Q promise to deliver twists, secrets and serious binge potential. Read on for the standout Netflix originals dropping this month, plus a full list of new arrivals and what’s deparing in May.

This Month’s Must-Watch Releases

‘Department Q’ (May 29)

Set in atmospheric Edinburgh, Department Q is a mix of intense crime-solving and twisted mysteries. The show is not just about unraveling mysteries; it’s about the emotional and psychological toll these cases take on the team, especially Carl, who’s battling his own inner demons. “There’s more to Carl Morck than meets the eye. “There’s a kind part to him that’s there,” writer/director Frank tells Tudum. You just might have to scratch the surface more than a little to get to that kind part.”

‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’ (May 23)

Fear Street is a growing horror film series that started as a trilogy and is now expanding with new stories under the same banner. This is a standalone movie in the same universe but not directly connected to the original trilogy. It takes place in 1988 and draws from a specific R.L. Stine book (The Prom Queen). At Shadyside High, prom season is in full swing, and tensions rise as several girls compete for the coveted prom queen crown. But things take a dark turn when the contestants start mysteriously disappearing.

‘Sirens’ (May 22)

“This story has a lot of teeth,” series creator and executive producer Smith Metzler tells Tudum. “There are real moments of drama, and it’s going to make people uncomfortable. Operatic is a word I like to use to describe it. It’s a true dark comedy – and it’s got a Greek mythology vibe.”

‘American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden’ (May 14)

What makes this show stand out is its tone. It is tense, methodical and often sobering. It doesn’t glamorize the hunt or the final mission, but instead asks tough questions about the price of justice, the use of surveillance, and the human costs of war. The three-part docuseries tells the story of how the U.S. tracked down and ultimately killed Osama bin Laden following the September 11th attack.

‘Bad Thoughts’ (May 13)

Bad Thoughts is a dark comedy series that dives into the messy, inappropriate, and often hilarious inner world of stand-up comic Tom Segura, playing a fictionalized version of himself. Each episode tackles a different intrusive or morally questionable thought as Tom spirals into bizarre scenarios that blur the line between imagination and reality.

‘Forever’ (May 8)

Showrunner Mara Brock Akil said the story “asks us to consider how long forever really is at 17,” adding that it’s about “celebrating the courage it takes to love fully and truthfully, even when it’s messy.” Forever is a coming-of-age drama that reimagines Judy Blume’s iconic 1975 novel for a modern audience.

What’s New on Netflix in May?

The Biggest Fan (May 1)

The Four Seasons (May 1)

Airport (May 1)

Airport ’77 (May 1)

Airport 1975 (May 1)

Ali (May 1)

American Gangster (May 1)

The Mule (May 1)

Ocean’s Eleven (May 1)

Ocean’s Thirteen (May 1)

Ocean’s Twelve (May 1)

The Paper Tigers (May 1)

American Graffiti (May 1)

Burn After Reading (May 1)

Constantine (May 1)

Crazy, Stupid, Love (May 1)

Dawn of the Dead (May 1)

Eat Pray Love (May 1)

The Equalizer 2 (May 1)

Hanna (May 1)

Home (May 1)

The Jerk (May 1)

The Lego Movie (May 1)

Mid90s (May 1)

Past Lives (May 1)

Sisters (May 1)

Starship Troopers (May 1)

The Sugarland Express (May 1)

Trainwreck (May 1)

Trolls (May 1)

Twilight (May 1)

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (May 1)

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (May 1)

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1 (May 1)

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2 (May 1)

Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit (May 1)

Peninsula (May 2)

Train to Busan (May 2)

Unseen (May 2)

Conan O’Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (May 4)

Britain and The Blitz (May 5)

Mighty Monsterwheelies (May 5)

The Four Seasons (May 5)

The Devil’s Plan (May 6)

Untold: Shooting Guard (May 6)

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (May 6)

Full Speed (May 7)

Last Bullet (May 7)

Blood of Zeus (May 8)

FOREVER (May 8)

Karol G: Tomorrow was Beautiful (May 8)

Heart Eyes (May 8)

A Deadly American Marriage (May 9)

Bad Influence (May 9)

Nonnas (May 9)

The Royals (May 9)

Tastefully Yours (May 12)

All American (May 13)

Bad Thoughts (May 13)

Untold: The Liver King (May 13)

American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden (May 14)

Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story (May 14)

Married at First Sight (May 14)

Smile (May 14)

Snakes and Ladders (May 14)

Rhythm + Flow: Poland (May 14)

Bet (May 15)

Love, Death, and Robots (May 15)

Franklin (May 15)

Pernille (May 15)

Secrets We Keep (May 15)

Vini. Jr (May 15)

Thank You, Next (May 15)

Dear Hongrang (May 16)

Football Parents (May 16)

The Quilters (May 16)

Rotten Legacy (May 16)

Untold: The Fall of Favre (May 20)

Sarah Silverman: PostMortem (May 20)

Real Men (May 21)

Newly Rich, Newly Poor (May 21)

Sneaky Links: Dating After Dark (May 21)

The Unxplained (May 21)

She the People (May 22)

Sirens (May 22)

Fear Street: Prom Queen (May 23)

Forget You Not (May 23)

Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds (May 23)

Off Track 2 (May 23)

Big Mouth (May 23)

The Wild Robot (May 24)

Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders (May 26)

CoComelon (May 26)

Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life (May 26)

F1: The Academy (May 28)

Dept. Q (May 29)

Mad Unicorn (May 29)

Losmen Bu Bruto: The Series (May 29)

A Widow’s Game (May 30)

The Heart Knows (May 30)

Lost in Starlight (May 30)

Netlfix Tudum 2025 (May 31)

What’s Leaving the Streamer?

About Time (May 1)

Annie (May 1)

Apollo 13 (May 1)

Blade Runner: The Final Cut (May 1)

Dallas Buyers Club (May 1)

Definitely, Maybe (May 1)

Erin Brockovich (May 1)

Europa Report (May 1)

The Flintstones (May 1)

Friday (May 1)

The Frozen Ground (May 1)

Fury (May 1)

King Kong (May 1)

Maid in Manhattan (May 1)

Next Friday (May 1)

Notting Hill (May 1)

Out of Africa (May 1)

Pompeii (May 1)

Public Enemies (May 1)

Queen & Slim (May 1)

Schindler’s List (May 1)

Spider-Man (May 1)

Spider-Man 2 (May 1)

Spider-Man 3 (May 1)

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (May 1)

This is 40 (May 1)

Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All by Myself (May 1)

Waterworld (May 1)

Wedding Crashers (May 1)

The Whale (May 1)

Whiplash (May 1)

The Wiz (May 1)

You, Me and Dupree (May 1)

Insidious: The Red Door (May 4)

The Peanut Butter Falcon (May 5)

The Lost City (May 9)

Resident Evil: Death Island (May 9)

Rambo (May 10)

Rambo: Last Blood (May 10)

The Clovehitch Killer (May 15)

Crossroads (May 15)

Madam Secretary (May 15)

The Sum of All Fears (May 16)

Tully (May 16)

A Simple Favor (May 19)

Burnt (May 28)

The Silencing (May 29)

Emma Hynes

Writing since January 2025 · 1 story contributed