Movies and TV series to watch in May

May is the month of the Cannes Film Festival for cinema. But there are many titles, from the Croisette to the theaters, ready to arrive after walking the golden carpet of the mecca of cinema. From the geometries of Wes Anderson to the action of Tom Cruise, adrenaline and emotion will not be lacking on the big screen. But keep an eye on the platforms too: Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively arrive on Prime Video for a trip to Italy in the sequel A Simple Favor 2, while on Netflix it's time to meet the Real Men with Francesco Montanari, Pietro Sermonti, Maurizio Lastrico, and Matteo Martari. Here are the May 2025 releases not to miss.

The Four Seasons - May 1, Netflix

Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Corman Doming, Will Forte. These four names alone are enough to convince you to watch The Four Seasons, a new original Netflix miniseries coming to the platform on May 1. Created by Fey herself alongside Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield, the show is inspired by the 1981 film by Alan Alda The Four Seasons and follows a group of longtime friends who decide to take a vacation for each season of the year. But during one of their getaways, they discover that one of the three couples is about to separate, breaking their equilibrium.

A Simple Favor 2 - May 1, Prime Video

A Simple Favor, released in 2018, is Paul Feig’s film starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively that quickly became a small camp cult. A true guilty pleasure, a thriller noted for the complex relationship between the two protagonists and, above all, their outfits. So a sequel was inevitable. A Simple Favor 2, instead of going to theaters like the first, is released directly on Prime Video on May 1. This time Stephanie (Kendrick) and Emily (Lively) reunite in Capri for the latter’s wedding to an Italian businessman, with the event filled with betrayal, murder, and of course, plot twists.

The Legend of Ochi - May 8, in theaters

Somewhere between Gremlins and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Legend of Ochi tells the story of a young girl who discovers an unlikely forest creature and is determined to bring it home. The whimsical and poetic family film (but not only) is written and directed by Isaiah Saxon, in his feature-length debut. An emotional story with lush, magical backdrops. The lead role is played by young German actress Helena Zengel, with Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, and Finn Wolfhard also in the cast.

Wild at Heart - May 12, in theaters

On January 16, 2025, the world lost David Lynch, one of the greatest filmmakers and visionaries of all time. In his honor, Lucky Red will screen some of the most important films of his career. It begins on May 12 with Wild at Heart, Lynch’s sexy and gritty reinterpretation of The Wizard of Oz. The retrospective continues on May 26 with Eraserhead, Lynch’s debut feature film, and will go on in June with The Elephant Man.

Final Destination - Bloodlines - May 15, in theaters

It’s been fourteen years, but the Final Destination franchise is back with its sixth film, Bloodlines. Directed by the duo Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein from a script by Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor, the film stars Stefanie, played by Kaitlyn Santa Juana, who is tormented by terrifying nightmares in which she sees her grandmother escaping a deadly accident that occurred fifty years ago.

Overcompensating - May 15, Prime Video

With Overcompensating, you can almost smell the charm of old-school teen comedies—updated for today. This Prime Video series centers on the college life of a former football player, Benny, who befriends the high school outsider Carmen, determined to fit in at any cost. Between fake IDs, terrible dates, and over-the-top antics, the two must figure out who they really want to be.

Paternal Leave - May 15, in theaters

After the buzz created by the series M - The Son of the Century and his intense and theatrical portrayal of Benito Mussolini, Luca Marinelli returns to cinema with a smaller, more emotional film. Paternal Leave is a work by Alissa Jung in which Marinelli plays a man who comes face to face with the young daughter he never knew and must figure out how to relate to her.

Murderbot - May 16, AppleTV+

It will be fun to see Alexander Skarsgård in Murderbot, finally a comedy for the Swedish actor, available from 16 May on AppleTV+. Based on Martha Wells' novels, The Murderbot Diaries, the series is about a cyborg who is able to hack himself, coming into contact with human emotions and being impressed by them. Everything becomes complicated, however, when he is given a dangerous task in which he will have to pretend not to exercise his free will. 

Maschi veri - May 21, Netflix 

Based on the Spanish Machos Alpha, the comedy series Maschi veri is the Italian answer starring Francesco Montanari, Pietro Sermonti, Maurizio Lastrico and Matteo Martari that explores the concept of ‘male’ and what it means. In a world where there is more and more talk about gender equality, the four protagonists have to face their own prejudices and question themselves, trying to maintain their place in the world and, often, in their love relationships. 

Lilo & Stitch - May 21, in theaters

The live-action of Snow White, which brought more controversy than viewers, was not enough. In 2025, Lilo & Stitch, the 2002 animated feature film directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, director and screenwriter of the original Marcel the Shell in 2021, will be released in cinemas in a live-action version. The story of the new Lilo & Stitch seems to slavishly follow that of the animated film: a little Hawaiian girl forms an almost symbiotic friendship with an alien named Stitch, mistaken for a dog. 

Fuori - May 22, in theaters 

After L'arte della gioia, a TV series based on the novel of the same name by Goliarda Sapienza directed by Valeria Golino, the actress will play the author herself in Mario Martone's film Fuori. The work will tell the story of the interlude she spent in prison, showing the friendships she ended up forming and which continued outside the four walls. Alongside Golino are Matilda De Angelis and Elodie.     

Sirens - May 22, Netflix 

Julianne Moore and Kevin Bacon are among the stars of Sirens, a Netflix original miniseries created by Molly Smith Metzler and based on her play Elemeno Pea. The same author who had already brought the promising and acclaimed Maid starring Margaret Qualley to the platform and who this time revolves the story around the protagonist Devon, played by Meghann Fahy, who is convinced that her sister Michaela (Milly Alcock) is having an affair with her enigmatic boss (Moore). A story about power and social classes, tinged with black humour.

Mission: Impossibile - The Final Reckoning - May 22, in theaters 

Last chapter for one of the world's best-loved and best-known action sagas. Tom Cruise is set to say goodbye to his iconic protagonist Ethan Hunt with Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, the eighth film in the series that began in 1996 and is once again directed by Christopher McQuarrie. Ethan's IMF team will have to track down a weapon that, if in the wrong hands, could lead to deadly consequences for humanity. 

Fountain of Youth - May 23, AppleTV+

Guy Ritchie has tried every platform imaginable, and now it's time for AppleTV+ where he arrives with his latest film Fountain of Youth with a lavish cast including John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson, Arian Moayed, Laz Alonso, Carmen Ejogo and Stanley Tucci. After years apart, two siblings reunite to work together to find the mythological Fountain of Youth, for an epic adventure with the goal of immortality. 

 The Phoenician plot - May 28, in theaters

Wes Anderson is a Cannes regular. And after passing through the festival, his new film The Phoenician Plot will arrive in cinemas from 28 May. Comprising as usual an ensemble cast led this time by Benicio Del Toro, the story sees a wealthy billionaire trying to save the fortunes of his company alongside his daughter, in a tale that explores their relationship and questions strategic and ambiguous moral choices. 

The better sister - May 29, Prime Video

Based on the book by Alafair Burke, the eight-part series The Better sister starring Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks arrives on Prime Video. While Chloe (Biel) has a perfect life, her sister Nicky (Banks) tries to make ends meet. The two, who were estranged, will be brought closer together by the murder of Chloe's husband Adam, opening a spiral of intrigue and trauma in the midst of which they will search for the truth about what happened.

Bring Her Back - May 29, in theaters

If you loved Talk to Me, you must not miss Bring Her Back. The new horror film is once again directed by the twin directing duo Danny and Michael Philippou, who name Sally Hawkins as their leading lady. The story sees a brother and sister adopted by a woman and taken to her home away from everything and everyone. The perfect place for a terrifying ritual they will soon learn about.