25 Best Movies New to Streaming in May: ‘The Iron Claw,’ ‘Ferrari,’ ‘The Idea of You,’ ‘Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ and More 

Zac Efron’s career-redefining turn in Sean Durkin’s family wrestling drama “The Iron Claw” was a highlight among last year’s movie offerings. The film tells the story of the Von Erich family, a dynasty of wrestlers from Texas who won championships and found enormous popularity all while battling a so-called family “curse,” a heartbreaking run of personal catastrophes.

From Variety’s review: “Efron has undergone a physical transformation nearly as dramatic as De Niro’s in ‘Raging Bull.’ We’ve seen dozens of actors pump themselves up, but Kevin’s body is a mass of steroidal muscle he wears like a second skin, and under his choppy bangs he’s both handsome and slugged. Efron, with heavy-lidded eyes, resembles David Cassidy crossed with the Hulk.”

Anne Hathaway kicks off Prime Video’s summer movie season in style with the highly-anticipated romance movie “The Idea of You,” based on Robinne Lee’s popular novel of the same name. The Oscar winner plays a 40-year-old single mother who falls in love with the 24-year-old lead singer (Nicholas Galitzine) of the world’s hottest boy band. Variety film critic Peter Debruge called their romance “one for the ages” in his review, adding: “The chemistry between Hathaway and Galitzine feels real. She subtly conveys signals that show she’s lost faith in romance. For his part, Galitzine plays Hayes as instantly interested, but emotionally cautious as well.”

Variety’s Owen Gleiberman named Michael Mann’s “Ferrari” the third best movie of 2023: “Mann brings off a masterful piece of supple ’70s storytelling in this thrilling, humane, high-stakes biographical drama about three months in the life of Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver), the legendary Italian automaker…Driver gives Ferrari a coiled authority, and Cruz is Lady Macbeth fierce as his wife and business partner, who must subsume her rage when she learns that her husband not only has a mistress (Shailene Woodley, good despite a thin accent) but a secret second family.”

“The Hunger Games” franchise roared back to life last year with the prequel movie “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” which earned $337 million at the worldwide box office. Set decades before the rise of Katniss Everdeen, the prequel tells the story of a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) as he mentors a tribute named Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) in the 10th Hunger Games. 

Variety film critic Peter Deburge called the movie a “bold prequel” in his review, adding: “It impressively expands the canon while honoring its key themes [and] feels like a natural extension of the saga, balancing blood sport, endangered young love and a heightened level of political commentary that respects the intelligence of young audiences as only [author Suzanne] Collins can.” The film hits streaming this month via Starz and will be available for Hulu and Prime Video subscribers who have the Starz add-on tier.

OK, so “Madame Web” definitely isn’t going to go down as one of the best movies of the year. But it’s certainly the biggest studio tentpole from 2024 arriving in streaming this May. Dakota Johnson plays a clairvoyant who must protect three girls (one of whom is played by Sydney Sweeney) in this Marvel movie set in Sony’s “Spider-Man” universe. The film was panned by critics in February and flopped at the box office with just $100 million worldwide. Anyone curious what all the (mostly negative) fuss was about will get their chance to stream “Madame Web” on Netflix this month.

Jerry Seinfeld makes his feature directorial debut with the star-studded Netflix comedy “Unfrosted,” which puts a fictional spin on the origin story of the Pop Tart and the very real rivalry that existed between cereal giants Kellogg’s and Post during the early 1960s. Seinfeld’s ensemble cast includes Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Hugh Grant, Amy Schumer, Max Greenfield, Christian Slater, Sarah Cooper, Bill Burr and more. Netflix’s synopsis reads: “Battle Creek, Michigan, 1963. Kellogg’s and Post, sworn cereal rivals, race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast forever.”

“Promising first-time director Cord Jefferson uses a 22-year-old book to poke fun at how Hollywood and others attempt to commercialize the African American experience,” reads Variety’s review of “American Fiction,” which won Jefferson the Oscar for best adapted screenplay earlier this year. Jeffrey Wright plays a disgruntled novelist who begrudgingly writes a book about the Black experience because that’s all white readers are interested in. The book ends up being a massive success, much to his annoyance. Wright was nominated for best actor, while Sterling K. Brown picked up a nomination for supporting actor.

From producers Glen Powell and J.J. Abrams comes “The Blue Angels,” a documentary about the eponymous flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy. Amazon MGM and is opening the movie in Imax theaters this month as well as on Prime Video for those who can’t make it out to the theater. Filmed for Imax, the immersive footage in the film puts viewers in the cockpit for a firsthand view of the Blue Angels’ precision flying. The studio says: “The film is a fitting tribute to the extraordinary teamwork, passion and pride of the hundreds of outstanding men and women of the Navy and Marine Corps who have had the honor to serve in the Blue Angels squadron…past, present and future.”

George Clooney’s “The Boys in the Boat” was a box office hit for Amazon MGM Studios over the Christmas holiday with $55 million worldwide. Now the movie comes to Prime Video at no extra cost to subscribers. The film follows the University of Washington’s rowing team during their quest to compete in the 1936 Summer Olympics. The cast includes Joel Edgerton as coach Al Ulbrickson Sr. and Callum Turner as rower Joe Rantz. From Variety’s review: “Callum Turner exudes star power” in an “old-fashioned movie daydream…Turner, who is British, has the dark-eyed, purse-lipped, lock-jawed scowl of Springsteen the working-class prince.”

Brooke Shields headlines Netflix’s romantic comedy “Mother of the Bride,” which is hitting the streaming platform just in time for Mother’s Day weekend. The supermodel and actor plays Lana, a single mother who is shocked when her daughter announces she’s getting married in Thailand with just one month’s notice. Shenanigans ensue when Lana discovers her daughter’s soon-to-be father-in-law is the man who broke Lana’s heart many years ago. Will their kids’ wedding be enough to rekindle an old flame? Probably. The film’s supporting cast includes Miranda Cosgrove, Sean Teale, Chad Michael Murray, Rachael Harris and Benjamin Bratt.

From directors Jared Hess and Lynn Wang comes “Thelma the Unicorn,” which Netflix is surely hoping becomes the top choice for family audiences this month. The official synopsis from the streaming giant reads: “Thelma is a small-time pony who dreams of becoming a glamorous music star. In a pink and glitter-filled moment of fate, Thelma is transformed into a unicorn and instantly rises to global stardom. But this new life of fame comes at a cost.” The movie’s voice cast includes Brittany Howard, Will Forte, Jemaine Clement, Edi Patterson, Maliaka Mitchell, Ally Dixon, Fred Armisen, Zach Galifianakis and Jon Heder.

Jennifer Lopez delivered Netflix one of its most-watched original movies with “The Mother.” Can she do it again with the upcoming “Atlas”? She stars in the science-fiction action tentpole as Atlas Shepherd, a brilliant but misanthropic data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence. Atlas joins a mission to capture a renegade robot with whom she shares a mysterious past, but plans quickly go awry and force her to befriend an AI robot if she wants to survive and save humanity from a deadly future. The supporting cast includes Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Gregory James Cohan, Abraham Popoola, Lana Parrilla and Mark Strong.

For decades, the attitude toward the documentary “Let It Be” in the Beatles‘ camp seemed to be: Let it rest in peace. But the film is finally going to be seen again. A restored version of the 1970 movie is coming to Disney+ this month. The streamer debuted Peter Jackson’s “The Beatles: Get Back” in 2021, which was created using outtakes from director Michael Lindsay-Hogg‘s original film. Not only has the 1970 film been dusted off, but it’s been restored by Jackson’s Park Road Post Production using the same technology employed to make the vintage footage in “The Beatles: Get Back” look and sound as revitalized as it did.

The Beatles aren’t the only iconic band getting the Disney+ documentary treatment this May. Enter “The Beach Boys,” a documentary which is being billed as “a celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.” From directors Frank Marshall and Thom Zimny, “The Beach Boys” will include never-before-seen footage and new interviews with band members Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks and Bruce Johnston, as well as music stars like Lindsey Buckingham, Janelle Monáe, Ryan Tedder and Don Was.

Disney+ is going all in on documentaries this May. In addition to movies about the Beatles and the Beach Boys, “Sesame Street” co-creator Jim Henson is getting his own documentary on the streamer courtesy of Ron Howard. “Jim Henson Idea Man” chronicles the life and legacy of the visionary puppeteer through some of his most iconic creations, from classic Muppets like Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy to Sesame Street residents Big Bird, Grover, Cookie Monster, and Bert and Ernie. Henson also directed beloved fantasy films like “The Dark Crystal” and “Labyrinth.” Howard directed the documentary with the cooperation of the Henson family and used never-before-seen personal archival home movies, photographs, sketches and Henson’s personal diaries to bring his story to life.

A24’s restoration of Jonathan Demme’s Talking Heads concert documentary “Stop Making Sense” was a box office hit last year, and now it’s coming to streaming via the indie studio’s new partnership with Max. The film is widely considered one of the greatest concert films of all time and was shot over three nights at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in December 1983. A24 re-released the concert film in theaters last fall. It collected $5 million at the box office, surpassing the film’s entire initial 41-week run ($4.95 million) in 1984. “Stop Making Sense” also became Imax‘s highest-grossing live event, earning $640,839 and selling out 25 screens across 165 Imax locations in North America, according to the studio.

From producer Mark Wahlberg comes the Max original documentary about the rise and fall of MoviePass. From Max’s official synopsis: “‘MoviePass, MovieCrash’ chronicles the origin story, meteoric rise and stranger-than-fiction implosion of the theatrical movie subscription app, MoviePass, as told through the eyes of the visionary co-founders. The film details the unique challenges they faced in building the pop culture phenomenon, only to eventually find themselves cast aside, watching from the sidelines, as new executives seized control and havoc ensued.”

“The Other Two” and “Never Have I Ever” director Kim O. Nguyen is behind the camera for Hulu’s original comedy “Prom Dates,” starring Julia Lester (“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”) and Antonia Gentry (“Ginny & Georgia”). The official synopsis reads: “The film follows best friends Jess and Hannah, who made a pact at 13 to have the perfect senior prom. Despite the impending changes that college will bring over the next four years, the two are committed to honoring their prom pact. But with only 24 hours left before the big event, everything falls apart when they break up with each of their dates. Jess and Hannah are left with one night to find new dates and live out their middle-school fantasies.”

Anne Hathaway has one of the buzziest streaming originals of May thanks to her Prime Video romance “The Idea of You,” but any cinephile looking for an added dose of the Oscar winner should check out her overlooked psychological thriller “Eileen.” The 1960s tale centers on a relationship forged by two women (Thomasin McKenzie and Hathaway) who work at a juvenile detention facility. Hathaway’s sexy and hypnotic supporting turn is a knockout. The film was named a Variety Critic’s Pick: “It might prove an off-putting cocktail in some quarters, but the weirdos among us will find ‘Eileen’s’ sheer chutzpah, couched as it is in classy, clever filmmaking, curiously exhilarating and addictive.”

Mel Eslyn’s directorial debut “Biosphere” pairs Sterling K. Brown with Mark Duplass in the story of two best friends who become the only survivors of a global apocalypse. From Variety’s review: “The performers are winning enough, and the ideas in the ambiguous story intriguing enough, to achieve an end result of successful charm and substance…‘Biosphere’ is hardly the most sophisticated exploration of masculinity, homophobia and other issues that have become hot buttons in our era. Yet there is something endearing about the way it probes them by means that are pleasantly silly, without being trivializing. Duplass’ performance gradually acquires more ballast as Brown’s becomes more playful, and their rapport has a relaxed, lived-in quality that helps us swallow the whimsical premise.”

“Actors Marin Ireland and Judy Reyes breathe new life into a literary touchstone in director Laura Moss’ drolly disturbing biological horror,” reads Variety’s review of “Birth/Rebirth,” a twisted horror movie about a morgue technician who needs to harvest biological materials from pregnant women after she successfully reanimates the body of a young girl. “The superbly performed, enjoyably queasy ‘Birth/Rebirth’ proves just how well the classic tale of scientific hubris and the desire to conquer death maps onto a gory maternity morality play, reanimating the truism that there’s little more (un)deadly than a mother’s love…the triumph of Moss’ impressive first feature, with its mathematically ratcheting moral stakes and its coolly controlled style, is that it makes its dubiously scientific high concept feel horribly plausible.”

Sean William Price’s feature directorial debut “The Sweet East” stars “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” breakout Talia Ryder as a high school senior from South Carolina who gets separated from her schoolmates during a class trip to Washington D.C. and finds herself on a strange road trip across America. The film, which debuted at Cannes last year, co-stars Simon Rex, Ayo Edebiri, Jeremy O. Harris and Jacob Elordi. 

Variety called it a “promising feature debut” in its review, adding: “The film is intriguingly anthropological in its take on America as a subject, viewed less through the prism of what American might signify as a nation, than how America might feel as an experience — there’s a sense of disintegration and incipient violence seeping through everything, which occasionally explodes to entertaining effect, but there’s clearly deep affection there too.”

Jacob Elordi and Zachary Quinto join forces in “He Went Thay Way,” which is based on the true crime story of celebrity animal trainer Dave Pitts and his fateful three-day encounter with the serial killer Larry Lee Ranes. The film is inspired by Conrad Hilberry’s book “Luke Karamazov” and the real-life account from Dave Pitts, the sole survivor of Ranes’ killing spree, and follows the trio as they set off on a crazy three-day road trip down Route 66 together. Elordi portrays serial killer Bobby Falls, based on Ranes, and Quinto portrays Jim Goodwin, based on Pitts. Jeffrey Darling, renowned for his commercials and music videos (“Crowded House: Instinct”), makes his feature directorial debut.

Mads Mikkelsen earned critical acclaim for his performance in Nikolaj Arcel’s historical epic “The Promised Land,” which centers on an impoverished Danish officer in the 1750s who hopes to strike it rich through land cultivation. From Variety’s review: “A commoner-turned-captain is locked in a grisly land battle with a dastardly nobleman in this entertaining, broad-brush epic, lent weight by its ever-reliable star…Were it not for the hysterically deranged lord across the moor sporadically tormenting the good farmer and slaughtering his help, ‘The Promised Land’ would almost play out as a kind of Scandi ‘Little House on the Präirie,’ with affecting everyday concerns of health, hearth and home countered by an escalating blood feud of far more outlandish fictional proportions.”

Nicolas Cage is in full manic mode in “Sympathy for the Devil,” which stars Joel Kinnaman as an expectant father who picks up a stranger on the way to the hospital where his wife is in labor. The stranger is Cage’s crooked criminal, who forces the driver to engage in a twisted cat-and-mouse game. With spiky dyed flame-red hair, goatee and lounge-lizard smoking jacket, Cage only needs a pair of plastic horns to look the complete costume-party Satan. And given the jokey way he treats the character for a long time, we do wonder if he’s meant to be a literal Beelzebub come to claim a sinner for eternal damnation.