As a ‘90s pop star once aptly put it, it’s gonna be May. The summer movie season is about to begin, and what better way is there to avoid the heat than spending time in amovie theater? As much as streaming has seemingly dominated the cinematic conversation for most of the 2020s, nothing quite beats the experience of seeinga movie on the big screen, where most directors intend their work to be seen.
Whether you’re a Marvel nerd, a Disney die-hard, or just love watching Tom Cruise pull off a jaw-dropping stunt, we’re looking at the most exciting films releasing in theaters this May.
‘Thunderbolts*’
Watch It in Theaters on May 2
In hindsight, it’s surprising that it’s taken Marvel this long to respond toThe Suicide Squadand assemble a team of full-blown anti-heroes. Even the Guardians of the Galaxy, flawed as they were, still ultimately remained heroic, but that “heroic” status may be more questionable for the titular team inThunderbolts*.
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First reactions to ‘Thunderbolts*’ praise the film’s character-driven storyline and hard-hitting action.
The ranks, which include Florence Pugh’s Yelena and David Harbour’s Red Guardian fromBlack Widow, fan favorite Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), and John Walker (Wyatt Russell) ofThe Falcon and the Winter Soldierfame, are forced to work together for a dangerous mission. Yet Marvel has promised that not all may come out alive. It’s a clever setup,and the A24-inspired marketinghas been on point.We can’t wait to seeThunderbolts*in theaters on May 2.
Thunderbolts*
‘Shadow Force’
Watch It in Theaters on May 9
It’s been too long since we’ve gotten a brutal, testosterone-filledaction romp from Joe Carnahan(The Grey), andShadow Forceseems likely to satisfy that itch. The plot revolves around spies Kyrah and Isaac (Kerry Washington and Omar Sy), leaders of the titular organization, a multinational special forces unit.
However, as is common in spy fiction, love proves their Achilles’ heel, and after falling for each other, they’re forced to go on the run with their son, all while defending themselves from their superiors. The eclectic cast includes Mark Strong, Method Man, and Oscar-winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph. If you’re in the mood for a kinetic action thriller,Shadow Forcevery well might be up your alley when it hits the big screen on May 9.
Shadow Force
‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’
Watch It in Theaters on May 16
Coming off the heels of his latest (and possibly final) album of the same name, Abel Tesfaye, best known as The Weeknd, ismaking the jump to the big screeninHurry Up Tomorrow. Directed by Trey Edward Shults, the acclaimed indie darling behindIt Comes at NightandWaves, the movie is said to follow the album’s loose concept and focus on a fictionalized version of Tesfaye dealing with insomnia.
A personal journey begins when he encounters a mysterious stranger, played by Barry Keoghan. Both Shults and Tesfaye are said to have been heavily inspired byPurple Rain, seeing the album explicitly as a soundtrack for the film. Despite not starting his acting career off on the best note withThe Idol, here’s hoping thatHurry Up Tomorrowproves a redemption for Tesfaye when it opens on May 16.
Hurry Up Tomorrow
‘Lilo and Stitch’
Watch It in Theaters on May 23
It seems clear by now that many have tired of Disney’s seemingly never-ending string of live-action remakes. But, alas, people keep seeing them, so this summer we’re gettingLilo and Stitch, which admittedlylooks better than most of their recent output. Much like 2002’s original animated gem, the film follows Lilo, a young girl in Hawaii, who realizes that the rascally pet she just adopted is an alien.
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Dean Fleischer Camp, who directed 2022’s adorableMarcel the Shell With Shoes On, helms the project, which thus far seems to capture that film’s endearing sense of humor, as well as the offbeat spirit of the original. Just in time for Memorial Day,Lilo and Stitcharrives on May 23.
Lilo & Stitch
‘Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’
Another summer movie season, another golden opportunity to watch Tom Cruise defy death for our entertainment. Picking up shortly after the conclusion of 2023’sMission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning,The Final Reckoninglooks to be a fittingly explosive and action-packed(likely) culmination of an almost three-decade franchise.
Lucky for Tom Cruise, there’s no Barbenheimer double feature in sight to overshadow his glory this time. Thus, we expect to spend at least a few weeks in awe of his underwater diving stunts, or his borderline insane commitment to hanging onto a biplane in midair.Your mission, should you choose to accept it, begins on May 23.
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
For a complete list of movies releasing in theaters in May 2025, see below:
