Canadian-born reporter and editor Adam Symchuk has been writing on the topic of film, TV, and literature for over a decade. Starting with an emphasis on Asian film, literature and manga, his love of interntional cinema set the groundwork for decades of obsession with film.
May marks a quieter month over at HBO Max, though it’s the perfect month to go through your backlog and stream some bingeable miniseries. While there is not much on offer for the month, the additions to the platform are a pretty solid selection, including some stand-out musical biopics, a classic story made steamy and modern, superhero action, and a new samurai-themed TV series.
To ensure you don’t miss out on the best releases coming to HBO Max in May, we have hand-selected a few stand-outs. Below that, you will find a complete list of every movie and TV show landing on the streaming platform, along with when they will be available.
MovieWeb Staff Picks for What’s New to HBO Max in May 2026
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) May 1: Fan favorite Spidey Miles Morales is pulled into a multiverse-spanning adventure, meeting with various versions of the iconic web slinger. The Sony animated film is a sharp visual wonder, and one that many fans have come back to time and time again.
- Wuthering Heights (2026) May 1: Margot Robbie stars as Cathy, and Jacob Elordi is Heathcliff in director Emerald Fennell’s modern adaptation of the classic Emily Brontë, including an amazing soundtrack by Charli XCX. A highly entertaining and provocative vision of romance, delivered with style.
- Walk the Line (2005) May 1: Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon flex their singing abilities in the biopic that follows Johnny Cash through his childhood, early success, stardom, and complicated relationship with June Carter. One of the best music biopics ever made, thanks to strong performances, a well-constructed life-spanning story, and (of course) the music of the country icon.
- Song of the Samurai (Season One) May 9: Pristine Samurai TV has had quite a resurgence, and Song of the Samurai delivers a live-action adaptation of the beloved manga Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem. Set in Kyoto, the period action drama is the standout new series on HBO Max in May.
- A Complete Unknown (2024) May 27: Timothee Chalamet gives a defining performance of his career, stepping into the shoes of Bob Dylan, exploring his early years in New York, his arrival in Greenwich Village, and his controversial yet genre-defining choice to go electric at the 1965 folk festival. Elle Fanning gives an equally engaging performance as Dylan’s girlfriend, named Sylvie Russo, in the film.
Full HBO Max May 2026 Calendar
Every Movie Coming to HBO Max in May
May 1
- A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
- Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
- The Florida Project (2017)
- Love, Simon (2018)
- Pitch Perfect 3 (2017)
- Saltburn (2023)
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
- Walk the Line (2005)
- Wuthering Heights (2026)
May 8
- Greenland 2: Migration (2026)
May 15
May 24
May 26
May 27
- A Complete Unknown (2024)
May 29
- Miss You, Love You (2026) – HBO Original
- The Moment (2026)
Every TV Show Coming to HBO Max in May
May 9
- Song of the Samurai (season 1)
May 14
- On the Roam (season 2) – Max Original
May 21
- Slaves of Faith: Heralds of the Gospel – HBO Original
May 22
- Josh Johnson: Symphony (stand-up special) – HBO Original
