Theaters are grabbing all the attention this month with The Devil Wears Prada 2 and the incoming Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, but streaming is quietly having a strong May. Here are the best new films landing on the three biggest platforms right now.
HBO Max: Wuthering Heights (Now Streaming)
If you’ve been hearing about Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s gothic classic and wondering whether it’s worth your time, it’s now on HBO Max, and you can finally decide for yourself.
Fennell, the director behind Promising Young Woman and Saltburn, brings a raw and psychologically charged take to the Yorkshire moors. Margot Robbie plays Catherine Earnshaw opposite Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. Their chemistry is undeniable, even when the film around them is divisive. The supporting cast includes Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, and Martin Clunes.
This is not the Wuthering Heights your English teacher had in mind. Fennell strips back the class commentary and doubles down on desire and obsession. Critics have been split at 58% on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences pushed it to 76%, and the film crossed $240 million worldwide. Charli XCX’s original songs in the soundtrack are a genuine surprise. Go in with open expectations.
Netflix: Remarkably Bright Creatures (Streaming May 8)
Based on Shelby Van Pelt’s novel that spent over 64 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, this one has been quietly anticipated for a while. Sally Field plays Tova, a widow working night shifts at a small-town aquarium who finds an unexpected connection with Lewis Pullman’s drifting young Cameron and a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus, voiced by Alfred Molina.
Yes, Alfred Molina voices an octopus. The same man who played Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2 now has eight actual arms. Director Olivia Newman keeps things grounded and warm, focusing on grief and second chances rather than sentimentality. It is slow and character-driven, so temper your expectations accordingly. But if you want something that feels human and earned, this is a good pick for a quiet evening.
Prime Video: One Battle After Another (Streaming May 23)
This is the one everyone has been waiting to catch. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another won Best Picture at the 2026 Oscars, along with five other awards, including Best Director and Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn. It arrives on Prime Video on May 23 for anyone who missed its HBO Max run.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Bob, a former revolutionary living off-grid with his teenage daughter. When she goes missing, and an old enemy resurfaces, he is pulled back into the world he spent sixteen years escaping. Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor, and Regina Hall round out a deep ensemble cast. Anderson shot it in VistaVision, one of the first films to use the format since the 1960s, and it shows.
The film holds a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and 95 on Metacritic. If you have been putting it off, stop. This is the real deal.
May is a genuinely good month to stay in. Three very different films, all worth your time in different ways.
