11 New Movies and TV Shows to Watch in May 2021
Check out new episodes from some of your favorite shows as well as several new drops.
As May brings warmer weather to draw you outside, new movies and TV shows from Netflix, HBO Max, and more may tempt you to stay wrapped up on your couch. Instead, grab your outdoor projector and some pillows because you're not going to want to miss these new shows and movies. While some of your favorite shows like Pose and The Bold Type are returning for their final season (I'm not crying, you are!), other new drops like Those Who Wish Me Dead and Cruella are the perfect movie night selection for everyone in your group. So enjoy the milder temperatures while they're here, but don't forget the stay up to on these 11 major new film and TV releases.
For its third and final season, Ryan Murphy's Pose is back with all your favorite characters. This season picks up in 1994, three years after the Season 2 finale. Blanca, Angel, Candy, Elektra, and the rest of the gang have all settled into their new lives as the AIDS epidemic reaches new heights. Nevertheless, the group will band together to revive the House of Evangelista. The new season premieres May 2 on FX.
After its debut late last year, the second half of Selena: The Series tackles the young star's journey as she reaches the peak of her fame. However, her newfound international stardom also forces Selena to make life-altering decisions. Watch Part 1 now and stream Part 2 on May 4 on Netflix.
Angelina Jolie stars in this new thriller as Hannah, a veteran firefighter and wilderness guide with a keen eye for survival. After witnessing his father's murder, a young boy teams up with Hannah to brave the stretched-out forest. However, when his father's killers set the terrain ablaze, the two must fight for their lives while navigating the fiery landscape. Those Who Wish Me Dead hits theaters and HBO Max May 14.
Directed by Barry Jenkins (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk), this new series, based on a novel by Colson Whitehead, theorizes an alternative historical reality. The series reimagines the Underground Railroad, a system of abolitionists and secret pathways used to free slaves in the 19th century, as an actual network of railway tracks that lay beneath the earth's surface. The series premieres May 14 on Amazon Prime Video.
If you haven't heard about the "Driver's License" love triangle unfolding between the two main cast members on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, then this might not be the show for you. But, if you are, Season 2 of the Disney+ series marks the return of Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett starring as on-screen love interests in the midst of their off-screen drama. Watch the students of East High's drama club stage their production of Beauty and the Beast and see if you can pick up on any underlying tension between the two leads. The new season premieres May 14.
This mini-series highlights the life and career of the famous '70s fashion designer Halston. In the backdrop of New York's disco era and Studio 54, Ewan McGregor stars as the eponymous designer as he fights to save his company. Stream the show on Netflix May 14.
When the first season of this Mexican thriller hit Netflix in March, audiences were entranced with its dramatic twists and looming mystery. Luckily, the streaming platform is only making fans wait until May 19 before dropping Season 2. As the mystery behind his sister Sara's murder falls away, Álex must continue the final stretch of his investigation to find justice.
For Season 3, Master of None refocuses on Lena Waithe's character Denise. After an Emmy win for the series' Thanksgiving episode where Denise comes out to her mother, the new season will explore her relationship with her girlfriend Alicia. The five-episode season premieres on Netflix on May 23.
The Bold Type returns for its fifth and final season, picking up right where our favorite trio left off. In the Season 4 finale, with Sutton's marriage in a tailspin, Kat developed feelings for—as Jane calls her "toxic—Eva and Jane considers a workplace relationship. The upcoming season will showcase all these storylines and more, hopefully offering a bittersweet farewell to these heartwarming characters. Get ready for all the drama and a few laughs when the show returns May 26 on Freeform, or stream the next day on Hulu.
After several delayed premieres, Emma Stone makes her debut as the eponymous Disney villain in the new live-action Cruella. As a young fashion designer, Estella de Vil finds herself under the employment of oppressive Baroness von Hellman. Serving as a backstory to the 101 Dalmatians antagonist, the film showcases how the fearsome Cruella de Vil came to be. Watch May 28 on Disney+ with Premier Access.
Wrapping up the show's fifth season, Lucifer returns with another eight episodes after leaving viewers on the holiest of cliffhangers—pun intended. After Lucifer's twin brother Michael disrupts his brother's life on Earth, their father—literally, God—makes his entrance to settle the siblings' squabble and return the mortal realm to its normal balance. But knowing this family, they're anything but angelic. Find out more on May 28 on Netflix.
