What’s New On Netflix In May 2026? 11 TV Shows And Films To Stream This Month

May is looking like another hectic month for Netflix, with lots more exciting new titles being added to the streaming service in the weeks ahead.

These include a show that promises to be an intriguing cross between Stranger Things and The Thursday Murder Club, an adaption of an intriguing best-seller starring two-time Oscar winner Sally Field and an already-controversial Sacha Baron Cohen project.

As well as these new additions, some of our favourites are also returning, including the Tina Fey comedy The Four Seasons, the chaotic dating show The Perfect Match and the dark anime Devil May Cry.

So, whether you want a new adventure movie for a family sit-down together or a gripping new reality TV obsession to pick apart with your friends, there really is something for everyone this month on the steamer.

Here are 11 of our top picks to stream on Netflix this May…

Tell Me More: Michael B. Jordan’s first screen performance since winning the Best Actor prize at the Oscars sees him voice a mysterious little woodland creature.

The animated family film Swapped is a wholesome story about two former rivals who swap bodies, forcing them to team up to fight a common enemy, while learning lessons about tolerance along the way.

Michael plays an adorable otter-like animal called Pookoo, while Juno Temple lends her voice to an avian creature, with Tracy Morgan, Cedric the Entertainer and Ambika Mod also appearing in this sweet animal take on Freaky Friday.

Swapped has been praised for its “fast pacing, frequent doses of humour, and myriad plot twists” by The Hollywood Reporter, ideal for keeping any little ones entertained.

Netflix Says: “A buddy comedy about a small woodland creature and a majestic bird – natural sworn enemies of The Valley – who suddenly swap bodies and must team up (while walking in each other’s feathers and fur) to survive the wildest adventure of their lives.”

Tell Me More: Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel spent more than 64 weeks on the New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list, and now it’s been turned into a much-anticipated Netflix film starring Lewis Pullman and Sally Field.

Remarkably Bright Creatures, directed by Where The Crawdads Sing’s Olivia Newman, follows a lonely widow who works nights at an aquarium, and becomes unlikely friends with a grumpy octopus.

The highly-intelligent octopus is one step ahead of humans and helps Sally’s character put the pieces together in her exploration of what really happened to her deceased son.

Netflix Says: “A widow who works at a local aquarium finds joy again when she forms unlikely bonds with a giant Pacific octopus and a wayward young man who comes to town in search of family.

“Together, they uncover a mystery that will lead them to a life-changing discovery and restore their sense of wonder.”

Tell Me More: The popular animation returns for a second series on Netflix, and continues to follow the handsome half-demon demon hunter, Dante, as he fights to prevent the gates of Hell from opening and stops an uprising in the underworld.

Series two finds Dante coming to terms with his demonic heritage as he gets ready to step into his new role as a warrior, discovering along the way that his long-lost brother Vergil is still alive, as the conflict between their two worlds escalates.

Netflix Says: “It’s Dante’s world, we’re all just living in it. Sinister forces are at play at the portal between the human and demon realms. In the middle of it all is Dante, an orphaned demon hunter for hire, unaware that the fate of both worlds hangs around his neck.

“Season two of this series, based on the popular action-adventure game of the same name, will have you asking: Team Dante? Team Vergil? Why choose?”

Tell Me More: Marty, Life Is Short chronicles the rise and career longevity of the legendary comedian and actor Martin Short.

Incorporating never-before-seen archival footage and new interviews with the funnyman and his famous friends, the documentary follows him from his sketch comedy beginnings to some of his most famous roles in Father Of The Bride and Only Murders In The Building.

Netflix Says: “Using beautiful, intimate, never-before-seen archive footage alongside exclusive interviews with some of the most established and beloved stars, the documentary takes a look at one of the most influential comedians of a generation.”

Tell Me More: Netflix’s critically-acclaimed Untold documentary series is coming to the UK, incorporating unseen archive, raw dressing room tales and interviews with key figures to pull back the curtain on the world of modern football.

Episode one will cover Jamie Vardy and his rise from a Sheffield lad to a successful footballer who smashed records and tore up the rulebook of the sport, while the second explores how one night in Istanbul saw an underdog football team, Liverpool, pull off an unthinkable win during the Champions League final in 2005.

The third and final instalment follows Vinnie Jones’ rise to becoming one of the game’s most controversial figures, and how he went from a notorious hardman to an FA Cup winner and, later, a Hollywood star.

Netflix Says: “Untold UK will go beyond the headlines and pull back the curtain on the most dramatic moments and personalities of the beautiful game.

“The series of three documentaries will cover unlikely Premier League legend Jamie Vardy, Liverpool’s miraculous 2005 Champions League-winning team, and controversial professional player turned actor Vinnie Jones.”

Tell Me More: Stars from some of the biggest shows on reality TV are back and looking for love on season four of Perfect Match.

Well-known faces from the likes of Love Island, Too Hot To Handle, Love Is Blind and even more of your favourite reality series are all heading to paradise to pair off and compete in physical challenges that challenge their bonds in the hopes of finding love.

If they win these trials, the pairs are then given the opportunity to scupper the other contestants’ romances through a variety of twists, introducing even more drama into the proceedings.

Netflix Says: “Reality TV romantics from across your favorite franchises are about to pair off in paradise to find out who’s the most compatible.

“In addition to singles from the Netflix Reality Universe, stars from Love Island, Vanderpump Rules, and more will hit the beach to mix and mingle. This season, the dating competition is evolving to allow more singles to enter and remain in the house longer, giving late arrivals a genuine chance to stay and find a connection.”

Tell Me More: Produced by The Duffer Brothers, the team behind Stranger Things, The Boroughs promises to be your new Netflix sci-fi obsession.

With a star-studded cast which includes Alfred Molina, Geena Davis and Bill Pullman, the upcoming drama sees a group of pensioners battle monstrous creatures which threaten the peace of their idyllic retirement home.

Much like Stranger Things, this series follows a ragtag team of misfits as they come together to fight supernatural beings.

“From the beginning, we knew we wanted The Boroughs to feel equal parts scary, mysterious, exciting and emotional,” the show’s creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews told Tudum.

Netflix Says: “In a seemingly perfect retirement community, a grieving newcomer’s monstrous encounter inspires him to join a misfit crew of unlikely heroes who uncover a dark secret that proves their ‘golden years’ are more dangerous, and they are more formidable, than anyone expects.”

Tell Me More: Sacha Baron Cohen faces off against Rosamund Pike in what promises to be a divisive new comedy.

Ladies First follows an arrogant, high-powered executive whose life is turned upside down when he wakes up in a parallel universe where women are in charge, and finds himself battling an under-appreciated female employee for the top job at his company and has to confront his worst fear: a domineering woman in power.

Co-starring Charles Dance, Emily Mortimer and Richard E Grant, the trailer already caused controversy when it was released last month.

People wasted no time in calling the film “cringe” and too reminiscent of the 2000s comedy What Women Want – but regardless of whether you think it looks any good, it’s sure to spark plenty of discourse online when it premieres later this month.

Netflix Says: “A ladies man gets a real wake-up call when he finds himself in a parallel world dominated by women where he goes head-to-head with a fiery female counterpart who makes things far more of a challenge for him.

“This English-language comedy is an adaptation based on the French film I Am Not an Easy Man from writer-director Eléonore Pourriat.”

Tell Me More: If you’re sad that Big Mouth has come to an end, fear not, because the creative team behind the adult animation has another comedy about love, sex and relationships on its way.

However, this time around, it’s all set in the animal world.

The American Office’s Zach Woods takes the lead as a shy bear who, after a months-long slumber, decides to get back into the world of dating, with some help from his hyperactive racoon friend, voiced by the show’s creator Nick Kroll.

Big Mouth fans will know to expect crude laughs, raunchy observations about sex and relatable charaters- even if they are animated animals.

Netflix Says: “Mating Season is set in the animal world starring a cast of bears, raccoons, deer, foxes and a host of other horny, lovable forest critters, as they navigate love, sexual relationships and the universal need to hook up and find a partner.”

Tell Me More: Tina Fey’s hugely popular comedy-drama returns for a second season, following a tight-knit friendship group through another year of life’s ups and downs.

She’s once again joined by Colman Domingo, Will Forte, Marco Calvani, Kerri Kenney-Silver and Erika Henningsen as couples of a certain age navigating being empty nesters, long marriages and maintaining friendships over time.

Based on the 1981 Alan Alda film of the same name, the first series was a big success with critics and audiences alike. As with season one, the next run of The Four Seasons will follow the same friendgroup across four vacations over the course of a year.

“One of the things we like about it is what we kept calling the container plate of it,” Tina told Elle. “The game of, we only see them on vacation. We only see them throughout the year.”

The upcoming second series will also address that season one cliffhanger after that shocking episode seven death.

Netflix Says: “The decades-long friendship between three married couples is tested when one divorces, complicating their tradition of quarterly weekend getaways.”

Tell Me More: The new four-part documentary series follows tennis play Rafael Nadal in the last year of his iconic professional career.

Capturing a transformative phase of the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s career, the Spanish player is seen dealing with injuries while embracing fatherhood and facing the idea of retirement.

The doc will feature star-studded interviews with some of the sport’s most iconic names, including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and John McEnroe, as well as behind-the-scenes access that promises to be the most comprehensive look at Nadal’s career to date.

Netflix Says: “As he battles for a final triumph on the court, Rafael Nadal opens up like never before about what shaped one of the greatest tennis careers of all time.”