Picture Credits: DreamWorks Pictures (Universal) / Netflix
Welcome to your weekly look-ahead at what’s coming to Netflix! As we head into the back half of May 2026, Netflix is gearing up to drop a fantastic mix of highly anticipated originals, a massive library of historical documentaries, and some major licensed movies.
Whether you’re looking to get spooked by Jordan Peele’s Nope, laugh out loud with comedy legend Wanda Sykes, or dive into some fascinating historical deep-dives from the History Channel, your watchlist is about to get a lot longer. Let’s dive into our top three highlights for the week of May 18th to May 24th, 2026. You can see what’s still to come throughout the remainder of May 2026 here, and an early look at what’s coming in June here.
Best New Movies and Shows on Netflix This Week
The Boroughs (Season 1) Netflix Original
Coming to Netflix: Thursday
Produced by the Stranger Things duo The Duffer Brothers, this brand-new sci-fi series is undoubtedly the biggest release of the week.
Swapping out the typical teenagers-on-bicycles trope for a group of unlikely heroes in a retirement community, the series follows these seniors as they must band together to fight off an otherworldly threat. The catch? The threat is intent on stealing the one thing they don’t have much left of: time. Expect plenty of mystery, supernatural thrills, and a whole lot of heart.
Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie (2025)
Coming to Netflix: Friday
Parents, rejoice (or perhaps, brace yourselves)—the wildly popular Gabby’s Dollhouse franchise has finally made the leap to a feature-length adventure!
Arriving just in time for weekend family movie night, this real-world/animated hybrid sees Gabby and her grandmother hitting the road to the urban wonderland of Cat Francisco. But when her magical dollhouse is swiped by an eccentric cat lady, Gabby has to embark on a daring rescue mission to reunite the Gabby Cats. This animated/live-action mashup will sit alongside the longest-running kids show in Netflix history, with more seasons on the way.
Ladies First (2026) Netflix Original
Coming to Netflix: Friday
If you’re in the mood for a stellar comedy to kick off your weekend, look no further than Ladies First. Directed by Thea Sharrock (Wicked Little Letters, Me Before You), this new feature film boasts the incredible headline duo of Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike. While Netflix has been keeping the finer plot details tightly under wraps, pairing Pike’s sharp dramatic-comedic chops with Baron Cohen’s legendary eccentricities is an absolute recipe for a certified hit.
As always, you can find a daily rundown of what’s new on Netflix via our hub page, which has lots of advanced filters to help you find something new to watch.
This week will also see Formula 1 come to Netflix LIVE for the first time ever. We’ve got more coverage to come on that but it’ll be live on Netflix on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Full List of New Arrivals Coming to Netflix This Week
Coming to Netflix on Monday, May 18th
- History Channel Docuseries:
- Abraham Lincoln: Season 1 (2022)
- FDR: Season 1 (2023)
- Grant: Season 1 (2020)
- The Great War (2024)
- Theodore Roosevelt: Season 1 (2022)
- Thomas Jefferson: Season 1 (2025)
- Washington: Season 1 (2020)
- Law and Order (Season 23-24)
- Navy SEALs: America’s Secret Warriors (Seasons 1-2)
- Nope (2022)
Coming to Netflix on Tuesday, May 19th
- Untold UK: Liverpool’s Miracle of Istanbul (2026) Netflix Original
- True Romance (1993)
- Wanda Sykes: Legacy (2026) Netflix Original
Coming to Netflix on Wednesday, May 20th
- Carizzma (Season 1) Netflix Original
- Desi Bling (Season 1) Netflix Original
Coming to Netflix on Thursday, May 21st
- James. (2026) Netflix Original
- Monday Late Show (Season 1 – New Episodes Weekly)
- The Boroughs (2026) Netflix Original
- The UnXplained (Season 7)
Coming to Netflix on Friday, May 22nd
- Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie (2025)
- Ladies First (2026) Netflix Original
- Mating Season (Season 1) Netflix Original
Coming to Netflix on Saturday, May 24th
- Bad Thoughts (Season 2) Netflix Original
- Ferrari (2023)
- Robocar Poli (Season 6)
What are you going to be watching on Netflix this week? Let us know in the comments down below.
