May signals the transition between spring and summer, and the slate of new films rotating onto Netflix this month also reflect the pollen in the air and the later and later sunsets.
Whether the warmer weather and longer stretches of daylight encourage the scaredy cats to venture outside their comfort zones and watch some thrillers or whether it calls for more lighthearted fair in the form of animated adventures or romantic comedies, Netflix has its viewers set for all kinds of options in May 2025. For those looking to stream A Simple Favor, to refresh ahead of the sequel film Another Simple Favor now on Prime Video, the original film will be on Netflix until May 19.
Find the seven best new movies streaming on Netflix in May below:
Past Lives – May 1
Greta Lee and Teo Yoo in ‘Past Lives’
A24
Those getting excited for Celine Song’s The Materialists coming to theaters in June might want to watch Song’s directorial debut Past Lives, which stars Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro and arrives on the streamer the first of the month.
RELATED: Everything We Know About Celine Song’s ‘Materialists’ So Far
The heartbreaking romantic drama film was released in theaters in 2022 via A24, and it received two Oscar nominations for Best Picture as well as Best Original Screenplay, written by Song.
The Twilight Films – May 1
Twilight
Lionsgate
Although it isn’t even summer yet, it’s never to early or late to have a cozy movie night with the Twilight films. While costars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart have both taken off in their careers as movie stars, it’s always fun to revisit their big breaks.Â
All five films in the saga — which also star Billy Burke, Sarah Clarke, Justin Chon, Anna Kendrick, Taylor Lautner, Dakota Fanning, Kellan Lutzm, Nikki Reed, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Gil Birmingham, Rachelle Lefevre, Peter Facinelli and more — are now streaming on Netflix.
Heart Eyes – May 8
‘Heart Eyes’
Christopher Moss
The Valentine’s Day-themed slasher film starring Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt, which came out in theaters in February, hails from Christopher Landon, the director of Happy Death Day.
The Heart Eyes killer always strikes on Valentine’s Day, killing couples in the most gruesome of ways. It’s up to Jay Simmonds (Gooding) and Ally McCabe (Holt), who have a somewhat frosty corporate meet cute at their jobs, to put a stop to the senseless killing of love stories and romance. They may just find their own in the process.
Smile – May 14
Sosie Bacon in ‘Smile
Paramount Pictures
Summer, which is nearly upon us, pairs well with a scary movie, and Smile is another opportunity to have some fun with a suspenseful story. The first film stars Sosie Bacon, Jessie T. Usher, Robin Weigert, Kal Penn, Caitlin Stasey, Kyle Gallner and more.
Smile 2 starring Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage, Rosemarie DeWitt, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Ray Nicholson and others released in theaters in 2024.
Nonnas – May 9
Vince Vaughn as Joe Scaravella in ‘Nonnas’
Vince Vaughn returns to the big screen in Nonnas, which also stars Linda Cardellini, Theodore Helm, Jimmy Smagula, Susan Sarandon, Drea de Matteo, Karen Giordano and more. Vaughn’s character risks everything to honor his late mother by opening an Italian restuarant with a group of local grandmothers as the chefs.
Fear Street: Prom Queen – May 23
India Fowler as Lori Granger in ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’
Director Matt Palmer will take viewers back into the Fear Street franchise after the hit trilogy of horror films started and ended in 2021. The first three installments of the film series, 1994, 1978 and 1666 landed on Netflix that year spaced apart, traveling further and further back in time as seen with the years in reverse chronological order.
The return to Shadyside, set in 1988, takes place May 23 with cast India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Fina Strazza, David Iacono, Ella Rubin, Chris Klein, Lili Taylor, Katherine Waterson and Ariana Greenblatt stacking the new nightmare film.
The Wild Robot – May 24
From left: Roz (voice: Lupita Nyong’o), Brightbill (voice: Kit Connor) in ‘The Wild Robot’
DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Right up front, it should be noted that there is a warning to have tissues on hand for this film. The animated movie, which includes a stacked voice cast of Pedro Pascal as Fink the Fox, Kit Connor as Brightbill the gosling and Lupita Nyong’o as Roz the Robot, to name a few.
RELATED: ‘The Wild Robot’ Voice Cast Guide: Lupita Nyong’o, Catherine O’Hara And More
Roz is tasked with helping a young duckling learn to survive in the wild, undertaking the steps of teaching him to hunt, swim and fly so that he can take off with his flock despite being orphaned at a young age. The tearjerker watches a machine learn motherly instincts with the help of a sly fox who turns out to also have great parenting instincts.
