We've reached the end of May and while several of the month's major releases have already come out, there's still a few more exciting launches happening this week. Probably the most exciting pick is Nicolas Cage's first TV role, as he stars in new Prime Video Spider-Man series, Spider-Noir.
That's not the only exciting release in our list of the best new shows and movies to stream this week, either. There's also a new spin-off to Apple TV Plus' beloved series For All Mankind, which turns the focus to the Soviet Union. Netflix's runaway hit comedy The Four Seasons is also back for a hilarious second outing as well.
On the movie side, there's an under-the-radar horror movie landing on Hulu and Disney Plus, as well as an Oscar-winning drama. Then, just in case you missed it in theaters, Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! is also now out on streaming, starring newly minted Oscar winner Jessie Buckley.
This is all just scratching the surface of what's available on streaming this week. For more of what to watch (and what you might have missed this month), read our guides on everything new on Netflix in May 2026, everything new on Disney Plus in May 2026, and everything new on Prime Video in May 2026.
Spider-Noir
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Prime Video
Nicolas Cage swings onto the small screen in new Spider-Man show, Spider-Noir. He stars as an aging private investigator and former superhero called Ben Reilly. When a new case lands on his desk, he must grapple with his past and decide whether he wants to become The Spider once again. It's set in an alternate universe to the rest of Sony's Spider-Man movies, but Cage did first play the role in the Spider-Verse films. However, this new show is based more on the comics, adapted by Oren Uziel to introduce a new version of this character in a slick, genre-driven drama.
One of the most fun parts about this release is that you can watch it in both black and white or color (read how to do that here). It's also landed some pretty positive reviews, with praise mostly falling at Cage's feet for his authentic performance. Our own Spider-Noir review gave it 3.5 stars with our reviewer calling it "a delightfully camp, low-stakes romp through 1930s New York City that proves Nicolas Cage is still cooler than all of us." You can stream all episodes of the 8-part show on Prime Video now.
See what else we recommend with our guide to the best TV shows on Prime Video.
The Four Seasons season 2
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix
The Four Seasons was a breakout hit for Netflix when its first season arrived back in May 2025. It's all-star cast got viewers hooked with Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, and Will Forte all appearing in lead roles. However, it was the deft balance of all-out laughs and more tender emotion that was what made the show so popular with viewers and critics alike.
Now the show is returning with a second season, which follows in the wake of season 1's shock death. This time around, the group of friends navigate three new vacations with more baggage and a baby in tow. All eight episodes are available to stream now.
See what else we recommend with our guide to the best shows on Netflix.
Star City
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Apple TV
For All Mankind is undoubtedly one of Apple TV's best shows currently airing, telling an alternate history where the USSR was the first nation to reach the moon. In the original show, this kicked off a more intense space race that has been told from the American perspective so far. Well, now, new spin-off Star City is changing the narrative, telling the story from the perspective of the Soviet space agency.
It's an intriguing premise that will likely appeal to fans of the original show as well as newcomers to this sci-fi universe. What's more, it's got a seriously stacked cast of dramatic talent. Rhys Ifans plays the chief designer of the program, while Anna Maxwell Martin is the head of the KGB surveillance department at Star City. Early reviews have been very positive for the new show, which has opened to a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score. The first two episodes arrive on May 29, airing weekly thereafter.
Our list of the best Apple TV shows is packed with quality entertainment.
The Bride!
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max
Based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein and the 1935 movie Bride of Frankenstein, The Bride! tells a new story set in a very familiar world. After impressing with her directorial debut, The Lost Daughter, The Dark Knight star Maggie Gyllenhaal is in both the writing and directing chair for this one. It stars Christian Bale as 'Frank', the monster created by Dr. Frankenstein, opposite Jessie Buckley as the titular Bride, a woman who is brought back from the dead to be his companion.
Buckley's performance as a radical rebel drives much of the movie, which split critics between fervent admirers and confused observers. Called a sci-fi fantasy version of Sid and Nancy and Natural Born Killers, it seems destined to become a cult classic. It's well worth your streaming time this weekend to make up your own mind on the 2026 release. The movie is available to watch now on HBO Max in the UK and the US.
Check out our guide to the best HBO Max movies for more essential viewing.
Descendent
Available: US
Where to watch: Hulu/Disney Plus
This pacy horror likely flew under your radar when it was first released in 2025. Produced by Marvel filmmaking duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (who worked on Moon Knight and Daredevil: Born Again), this sci-fi thriller tells the story of a school security guard in Los Angeles who struggles to navigate his childhood trauma as he prepares for the birth of his first child.
However, things start to get pretty weird when he ends up seeing a mysterious beam of light one night on his shift. He wakes up after this odd encounter with images of aliens and desert landscapes plaguing his mind. The Walking Dead actor Ross Marquand stars in the lead role of this twisty and tense horror with a very decent 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. You can stream the movie on Hulu right now.
Our guide to the best Hulu movies is full of cinematic gems.
The Theory of Everything
Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix (US)/Prime Video (UK)
Awards darling The Theory of Everything is now available to stream on Netflix. The biographical drama tells the love story of physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his wife, Jane Wilde Hawking (Felicity Jones). The pair navigate his advancing illness and rising fame across three decades of their lives, beginning with their first meeting at Cambridge University.
If you missed this one when it was released back in 2014, it's well worth a watch now for its tender and emotional retelling of Hawking's life. Nominated for five Oscars and winning the Academy Award for Redmayne, it's easy to see why this movie is so well-loved. It's on Prime Video in the UK for four days before it heads to Netflix in the US on May 31.
For more streaming inspiration, you can check out our breakdown of the best Netflix movies.
If you're still in need of inspiration, check out our guides to the best movies on Prime Video and the best shows on Disney Plus.
