Biggest New Netflix Originals Coming in May 2026

Welcome to your first comprehensive preview of the new movies, series, documentaries, and live events scheduled to hit Netflix globally in May 2026.

Summer blockbuster season is getting an early start on Netflix! May is absolutely packed with highly anticipated returning favorites, including the next chapter of the Money Heist universe, the long-awaited second season of Nordic noir hit The Chestnut Man, and the return of Tina Fey’s star-studded comedy The Four Seasons. Add in a brand-new sci-fi epic from the Duffer Brothers, a major live MMA event, and a harrowing new adaptation of Lord of the Flies, and your watchlist is going to be full!

Note: This is an early preview based on the current lineup. Netflix release dates are subject to change, and we will be publishing a full look-ahead at the May 2026 schedule later this week.

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Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine (Season 2)

Coming to Netflix: May 15th

Genre: Heist Crime Drama

“Level two, please!” The Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) cinematic universe continues to expand with the highly anticipated second season of the hit spin-off, Berlin. Not only are we getting a season 2, but the series is following a number of international shows in getting a subtitle—Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine—this season promises another grand, impossibly complex heist orchestrated by Pedro Alonso’s iconic, suave jewel thief. If it’s anything like the first season, expect romance, high stakes, and a whole lot of European flair.

This season’s title is a massive clue to the plot. The Lady with an Ermine is a famous Leonardo da Vinci portrait currently housed in Krakow, Poland. Expect the crew to head to Eastern Europe to pull off an impossible museum extraction. Fan-favorites Michelle Jenner (Keila) and Tristán Ulloa (Damián) are confirmed to return, alongside a new antagonist played by Jean Reno.

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Lord of the Flies (Limited Series)

Coming to Netflix: May 24th (Excludes Netflix UK)

Genre: Psychological Drama / Survival Thriller | Episodes: 4

William Golding’s legendary 1954 novel gets a breathtaking, harrowing modern update. Following a catastrophic plane crash, a group of schoolboys finds themselves stranded on a remote, uninhabited island. What begins as a structured attempt at survival quickly descends into brutal, primal savagery as the boys splinter into warring factions.

Produced by Eleven Film (the team behind Sex Education) and adapted by acclaimed writer Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials), this BBC co-production will stream globally on Netflix. The creators have promised an unflinchingly faithful, visceral take on the source material. The cast features a brilliant ensemble of entirely unknown child actors, chosen after a massive global casting search to bring raw authenticity to the psychological descent of Ralph, Jack, and Piggy. Don’t forget too that the lead of this particular mini-series is also leading Netflix’s upcoming Narnia movie: David McKenna.

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The Chestnut Man: Hide and Seek (Season 2)

Coming to Netflix: May 7th

Genre: Nordic Crime Drama / Thriller

Fans of gripping, atmospheric Nordic noir have been waiting patiently, and the time has finally come. The acclaimed Danish thriller The Chestnut Man is returning for a highly anticipated second season (again, another one with a new subtitle, Hide and Seek). Prepare yourself for another dark, twisted, and incredibly binge-able mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.

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The Four Seasons (Season 2)

Coming to Netflix: May 28th

Genre: Romantic Comedy | Episodes: 8

Tina Fey’s hit romantic comedy series is back for its sophomore run! After a fantastic debut, the series returns with a powerhouse comedic ensemble that includes Tina Fey, Will Forte, and Colman Domingo. If you’re looking for big laughs and fantastic chemistry, this 8-episode follow-up is guaranteed to be one of the biggest comedy drops of the summer.

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The Boroughs (Season 1)

Coming to Netflix: May 21st

Genre: Sci-Fi Drama | Episodes: 8

If you’re missing Stranger Things, this could be your next obsession. Executive produced by the Duffer Brothers and created by the minds behind The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Boroughs is an 8-episode supernatural sci-fi drama. Expect a stellar ensemble cast (including Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, and Bill Pullman) tackling a brand new mystery. This is way more akin to the Duffer’s work on Stranger Things than the more horror-skewed Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, which just recently dropped.

The show flips the usual “kids on bikes” sci-fi trope by focusing on a group of retirees in a picturesque New Mexico retirement community. This unlikely group of heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have much left of: time. Alfred Molina also stars in a heavily prosthetic, villainous role.

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Remarkably Bright Creatures

Coming to Netflix: May 8th

Genre: Mystery Drama | Runtime: 1h 51m

Based on the massively popular, heartwarming novel by Shelby Van Pelt, this feature film adaptation is sure to be a tearjerker. Directed by Olivia Newman (Where the Crawdads Sing) and starring the legendary Sally Field alongside Lewis Pullman, this mystery-drama is easily one of the biggest movie releases of the month.

The story follows Tova Sullivan (Field), a widow who works the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. She forms an unlikely connection with a misanthropic, highly intelligent giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus. The visual effects for Marcellus are handled by Wētā FX, utilizing groundbreaking CGI to make the creature emotive and lifelike as he helps Tova uncover the truth about her son’s disappearance thirty years prior.

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Nemesis (Season 1)

Coming to Netflix: May 14th

Genre: Action Heist | Episodes: 8

From Power creator Courtney Kemp comes a brand-new, high-stakes action heist series. Starring Matthew Law and Y’lan Noel, the show promises a tense, cat-and-mouse game of cops and robbers that should be perfect for your weekend binge.

Set against the neon-lit backdrop of modern-day Atlanta, Nemesis centers on a brilliant but conflicted heist mastermind (Noel) who is forced into pulling off one final, impossible job to clear his brother’s debt. He finds himself hunted by a relentless, unorthodox detective (Law) who shares a tragic past with him. Expect high-octane practical car chases and intense, tactical shootouts.

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Swapped

Coming to Netflix: May 1st

Genre: CGI Animated Buddy Comedy | Runtime: 1h 41m

Kicking off the month is a brand new family feature from Skydance Animation! After jumping from Apple to Netflix, Skydance is bringing us this second animated buddy body-swapping comedy that looks perfectly primed for family movie night.

Produced by animation legend John Lasseter, Swapped follows an uptight, aristocratic show poodle and a street-smart, garbage-loving raccoon who magically switch bodies after coming into contact with a cursed artifact in a natural history museum. The A-list voice cast includes Awkwafina, Jack Black, and John Mulaney, boasting dazzling, Pixar-level visual fidelity.

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Other Netflix Originals Coming to Netflix in May 2026

English Language Movies

• Ladies First – May TBA – Skewering romantic comedy directed by Thea Sharrock and starring Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike.

English Language Series

• Devil May Cry (Season 2) – May 12th – Season 2 of the dark fantasy anime series based on the hit video game.
• Mating Season (Season 1) – May 22nd – An adult animated comedy from the creators of Big Mouth.
• A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (Season 2) – May 27th – The hit BBC co-production returns for a second mystery starring Emma Myers!

International Movies & Series

• My Dearest Señorita (Spain) – May 1st – Spanish romantic drama anti-hero film.
• My 2 Cents (Season 1) (Italy) – May 27th – New Italian adult animated comedy.
• Murder Mindfully (Season 2) (Germany) – May 28th – The German dark comedy returns for more delightfully wicked hijinks.
• Viral Hit (Season 1) (Japanese) – When he accidentally goes viral after a brawl, a weak and broke teen realizes livestreaming fights against delinquents could change his life.
• Brazil 70: The Third Star (Brazil) – May 29th – A historical sports drama miniseries.

Documentaries & Specials

• The Roast of Kevin Hart – May 10th – Jokes will not be in short supply in this live roast. 
• The Crash – May 15th – A chilling new true-crime documentary looking at a killer teen driver.
• Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano – May 17th – Live MMA sports event.
• Wanda Sykes: Legacy – May 19th – Stand-up comedy special. 

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What are you most looking forward to watching on Netflix in May 2026? Let us know in the comments down below!