There are plenty of May movies that are coming to theaters, streaming platforms, and video on demand this month that we should not miss. The fifth month offers loads of movies belonging to a wide plethora of genres. That includes action flicks, romance, dramas, comedies, adventure, sci-fi, horror, and thrillers. And almost all of the films this month are R-rated flicks.
In May, Netflix is offering a great line-up of films, Monster a crime drama, The Woman in the Window a mystery thriller, and Army of the Dead a zombie action flick.
Many films have been released digitally for the audience to view on-demand since last year. In May, the most intriguing VOD releases are Together Together a comedy; Above Suspicion a crime drama; Four Good Days a drama; The Dry a mystery thriller. Most of the on-demand releases are also opening in select theatres before or simultaneously launching on digital platforms.
In the last few months, many theaters across various countries have reopened and new movies are getting released wherever theaters are available. Looks like the movie-going audience is increasing every month and there is a sign at last for theaters to return to full form in the near future. The recent tentpole, Godzilla vs. Kong, set a box-office opening record during the pandemic, last month which has further emboldened studios.
Some movies are having a release in select theaters before they head to streaming, but some movies are having as wide a release as possible. Films like Wrath of Man an action thriller, Mainstream a comedy drama, Spiral a horror thriller, and A Quiet Place Part II a horror thriller are all releasing exclusively in theaters.
With Warner Bros’ HBO Max release strategy of their 2021 film slate, five films have already been released. Their latest film Those Who Wish Me Dead a survival action thriller is arriving this month.
Similar to how Disney debuted Mulan and Raya and the Last Dragon on Disney+, the studio decided to also release their live-action remake/origin story of classic villain Cruella de Vil titled Cruella premiere access on their streaming service along with a simultaneous release in theatres.
Check out the synopses and release dates for each of these May movies below.
May Movies To Watch Out For
Wrath of Man
Wrath of Man is an action thriller directed by Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes, Aladdin, Snatch), from a script he co-wrote with Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies and is based on the 2004 French film Cash Truck by Nicolas Boukhrief. It’s Ritchie’s fourth directorial collaboration with lead actor Jason Statham (Furious 7, Hobbs & Shaw, Crank), following Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; Snatch; and Revolver. So fans of Statham will be excited about this reunion.
Holt McCallany (Mindhunter, The Losers), Jeffrey Donovan (Sicario 1&2), Josh Hartnett (Lucky Number Slevin, Sin City), Scott Eastwood, Laz Alonso (The Boys), Raúl Castillo (Little Fish), DeObia Oparei (Game of Thrones), Eddie Marsan (Deadpool 2, The Gentlemen), Niamh Algar (Raised by Wolves), and Andy Garcia (Ocean’s Eleven, The Godfather: Part 3) also star.
The R-rated film follows H (Statham), a cold and mysterious, new security guard hired by a cash truck company responsible for moving hundreds of millions of dollars around Los Angeles each week. H surprises his co-workers when he unleashes precision skills during a heist. The crew is left wondering who he is and where he came from. Soon, the marksman’s ultimate motive becomes clear as he takes dramatic and irrevocable steps to settle a score. He is on the hunt for the people behind his son’s murder.
Wrath of Man is scheduled to be theatrically released in the US on May 7 by United Artists Releasing, and in the UK on July 23, 2021, by Lionsgate. This film is a must-watch for action lovers and fans of Guy Ritchie movies.
Wrath of Man release date: May 7, 2021
Monster
Monster is Netflix’s original crime drama directed by Anthony Mandler from a screenplay by Janece Shaffer and Colen C. Wiley based on the award-winning young adult novel of the same name by Walter Dean Myers.
It stars Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Luce, Waves), Jennifer Hudson (Chi-Raq, Sex and the City), Jeffrey Wright (Westworld, The Hunger Games), Jharrel Jerome (Moonlight), Jennifer Ehle (Zero Dark Thirty, A Quiet Passion), Nasir ‘Nas’ Jones, Tim Blake Nelson (Watchmen, Just Mercy), Lovie Simone (The Craft: Legacy, Greenleaf), Mikey Madison (Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood), and John David Washington (Tenet, Malcolm & Marie, BlacKkKlansman).
The story follows Steve Harmon (Harrison Jr.) a seventeen-year-old honor student whose world comes crashing down around him when he is charged with felony murder. The film follows his dramatic journey from a smart, likable film student from Harlem attending an elite high school through a complex legal battle that could leave him spending the rest of his life in prison.
Mandler’s film originally debuted in 2018 during the Sundance Film Festival. But now it will finally be available to a larger audience on Netflix. The R-rated film so far holds a 57% Rotten Tomatoes score based on 7 reviews.
Monster Netflix release date: May 7, 2021
Mainstream
Mainstream is IFC Films’ comedy-drama directed by Gia Coppola (Palo Alto), from a screenplay by Coppola and Tom Stuart. The film follows a young woman who finds a path to internet stardom when she starts making videos with a charismatic stranger.
It stars Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spider-Man, The Social Network, Hacksaw Ridge), Maya Hawke (Stranger Things, Little Women), Nat Wolff (The Stand), Johnny Knoxville (Men in Black II, Polar), Alexa Demie (Euphoria, Waves), and Jason Schwartzman (Fargo, The Darjeeling Limited).
In this cautionary tale, three people struggle to preserve their identities as they form an eccentric love triangle within the fast-moving internet age. Mainstream had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 5, 2020. So far, the R-rated film holds a 36% RT score based on 11 reviews, but it’s worth a watch for its star performances. It’s scheduled to be released in theaters.
Mainstream release date: May 7, 2021
