May arrives quietly, but not without direction. It’s a month that doesn’t assert itself through volume, and perhaps for that very reason says more about the current state of streaming than any avalanche of premieres. There is an almost involuntary sense of curation at play, a selection that seems less interested in occupying space and more in testing paths, formats, and above all, characters driven by conflicts that are more intimate than spectacular.

What emerges here, in this selection I’ll be following myself, is not a list of obvious bets. It’s a set of stories orbiting the idea of displacement, whether geographic, emotional, or historical. The space race reimagined from another perspective in Star City, the violence reshaping itself in Impuros, grief searching for language in Sinto Sua Falta, Te Amo, or even the satire of power in First Comes the Ladies. What they share is a familiar world, slightly shifted off its axis just enough to provoke a different reading.

There is also a curious movement of return, but without comfort. Revisited classics, such as Wuthering Heights, appear not as reaffirmations of a known narrative, but as attempts to expose their excesses and less domesticated impulses. At the same time, platforms like Filmicca continue to operate almost as a form of resistance, keeping alive films that don’t offer easy answers and demand a different kind of attention.

Amid all of this, perhaps the most interesting point is noticing how these premieres don’t necessarily promise resolution. They seem more invested in following processes, in observing characters as something begins to slip out of control. And that, today, says far more about what we are willing to watch than any major television event.

This is May’s selection. Not the loudest, but possibly one of the most revealing.

APPLE TV

Star City, May 29
A bold new chapter inspired by the acclaimed space race drama For All Mankind, Star City is a tense and paranoid thriller that takes us back to a pivotal moment in this alternate history — when the Soviet Union became the first nation to put a man on the Moon. This time, the story unfolds behind the Iron Curtain, exploring the lives of cosmonauts, engineers, and intelligence officers embedded within the Soviet space program, and the risks they took to push humanity forward.

Propeller One-Way Night Coach, May 29
Set during the golden age of aviation, a young airplane enthusiast, Jeff (played by newcomer Clark Shotwell), and his mother (Kelly Eviston-Quinnett) embark on a one-way odyssey to Hollywood, turning a simple flight into the journey of their lives. Amid in-flight meals, charming flight attendants (Ella Bleu Travolta and Olga Hoffmann), unexpected layovers, eccentric passengers, and a glimpse into first class, the journey unfolds through magical and unexpected moments that shape the boy’s future.

DISNEY+

Impuros Season 6, May 1
After a brutal attack on his family, Evandro sets in motion a ruthless plan for revenge, determined to take down his former allies even if it puts his own empire at risk. Meanwhile, Morello joins forces with his fugitive daughter Inês, her husband Afonso, and a group of former militia police officers to dismantle drug trafficking in Rio’s communities. As each is driven by their own interests, the closest bonds begin to fracture, and every decision leaves lasting scars.

Send Help!, May 7
With Sam Raimi’s distinctive signature, two colleagues find themselves stranded on a deserted island after surviving a plane crash. There, they must overcome old resentments and work together to survive, but ultimately it becomes an unsettling battle of wills and cunning, laced with dark humor, in a fight to stay alive.

The Punisher: One Last Death, May 12
Starring Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, the vigilante known as the Punisher, this special follows him as he searches for meaning beyond revenge when an unexpected force pulls him back into battle. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and co-written by Bernthal and Green.

Is This Still Standing?, May 13
Directed and produced by Bradley Cooper, the story follows Alex (Will Arnett) as he watches his marriage quietly fall apart while facing middle age and an impending divorce, searching for a new purpose within New York’s comedy scene. At the same time, Tess (Laura Dern) reflects on the sacrifices she made for her family, leading both to confront co-parenting, redefine their identities, and consider that love can take on new forms.

FILMICCA

Au Revoir les Enfants, May 1
A moving story of friendship and devastating loss between two boys living in Nazi-occupied France. At a Catholic boarding school in the countryside, they share a genuine companionship until a secret is revealed. Based on director Louis Malle’s childhood, it is a subtle and precise tale of courage, cowardice, and a tragic awakening.

Beneath the Skin, May 1
A horror story based on real events about a woman’s unknowing involvement in the unsolved murder of a young woman named Holly.

Gods of the Plague, May 8
In a decaying mansion in downtown São Paulo, an aging Shakespearean actor, exiled from the stage, lives among his ghosts. From his bed, surrounded by red curtains taken from an abandoned theater, he dreams of plague and fire spreading across the country. Around him, a strange community forms, bringing together actors, musicians, and dancers from different backgrounds.

An Old Lady, May 8
Hyo-jeong, a 69-year-old woman, is raped, but few people, including the police, are willing to believe her.

A Man Escaped, May 22
A member of the French Resistance, captured during World War II, plans a daring prison escape.

The Devil, Probably, May 29
Charles drifts between politics, religion, and psychoanalysis, rejecting them all. As he confronts the depth of his disgust with the moral and physical decay of society, he decides to follow a different path.

HBO MAX

On the Roam Season 2, May 14
A six-part cinematic documentary series following Jason Momoa as he travels across the country in search of art, adventure, and friendship through the lens of craftsmanship.

Wuthering Heights, May 1
A bold and original interpretation of one of the greatest love stories of all time, directed by Emerald Fennell and starring Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, whose forbidden passion evolves from romantic to intoxicating in an epic saga of desire, love, and madness.

I Miss You, I Love You, May 29
A blunt and grieving widow, Diane Patterson (Allison Janney), is forced to plan her husband’s funeral with a complete stranger: her distant son’s assistant, Jamie Simms (Andrew Rannells). As they navigate grief and their odd, tragicomic circumstances, buried secrets and old resentments surface, while their unlikely partnership becomes a channel for connection, humor, and healing.

The Moment, May 29
A rising pop star faces the complexities of fame and industry pressure as she prepares for her first arena tour. Starring Charli XCX.

NETFLIX

Personas, May 7
In the early 1990s, Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise was losing the battle against illegal drug smuggling across Britain’s borders. The solution was extraordinary. In a top-secret operation, a small group of customs officers was sent undercover to infiltrate the country’s most dangerous drug gangs.
These were not trained spies, but ordinary men and women taken from everyday life, given basic training, and tasked with building new identities in the criminal underworld. These identities were called “Legends.”

The Four Seasons, Season 2, May 28
The second season picks up with the group of friends still shaken by Nick’s death, who left Ginny pregnant. Having faced the ups and downs of aging with sensitivity and humor in the first season, they are now more than prepared to confront what lies ahead.

First Comes the Ladies, May 22
Damien Sachs (Sacha Baron Cohen) seemingly has it all: money, power, and countless affairs. As he prepares to become CEO of a major advertising agency, his life is turned upside down when he wakes up in his worst nightmare: a parallel world ruled by women. Once in control, he now finds himself humiliated and in direct conflict with the fearless and relentless Alex Fox (Rosamund Pike). With the rules reversed and Alex at the height of her career, the two clash in a sharp and satirical comedy about what happens when the balance of power shifts.