New releases on Netflix this week : top picks
31 new titles hit Netflix US in a single week — that's not a slow rollout, that's a full-on content surge. Between May 9 and May 16, 2026, 18 new movies and 13 new series landed on the platform, covering everything from horror sequels to animated family films and true crime docuseries. We've been tracking all of it so you don't have to scroll endlessly wondering what to watch first.
This week's must-watch new arrivals on Netflix
Three titles stand out immediately from this week's batch. First, Black Phone 2 (2025) — a horror-thriller sequel running 1 hour and 42 minutes — arrives thanks to Netflix's ongoing first-window output deal with Universal Pictures. The film earned a Certified Fresh rating, and critic Bilge Ebiri of Vulture noted : "What's notable about Black Phone 2 is how unlike The Black Phone it is in some ways — that may provoke disappointment from some quarters, but it also makes for a unique, unexpected experience." Expect it to dominate the movie charts by Monday.
If horror isn't your thing, consider Slow West (2015), the A24 indie western starring Michael Fassbender and Kodi Smit-McPhee, finally back on Netflix US after years of absence. The film follows a young Scotsman crossing the brutal 19th-century American frontier to find the woman he loves. Concise at 1h24, stylish, and criminally underrated — it's the kind of film that rewards patient viewers who like their westerns with psychological depth rather than gunfights every ten minutes.
Rounding out our top picks : Goat (2026), an animated family sports movie featuring the voice of NBA star Stephen Curry alongside Caleb McLaughlin. It's breezy, genuinely funny, and already sitting at #8 in the weekly movie chart with 20 points. A solid family night option that won't put anyone to sleep.
Here's a quick breakdown of all 18 new movies added this week :
- Black Phone 2 (2025) – Horror/Thriller – R
- Goat (2026) – Animation/Family/Sports – PG
- Slow West (2015) – Western/Drama – R
- Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022) – Drama – PG
- Marty, Life Is Short (2026) – Comedy – Netflix Original
- The Roast of Kevin Hart (2026) – Comedy/Live – Netflix Original
- The Crash (2026) – Thriller – Netflix Original
- Hoax : The Kidnapping of Sherri Papini (2023) – True Crime
- Stolen Baby : The Murder of Heidi Broussard (2023) – True Crime
- OVERLORD : The Sacred Kingdom (2024) – Anime/Action – R
- Killer Joe (2011) – Crime/Thriller – NC-17
- The Bus : A French Football Mutiny (2026) – Documentary – Netflix Original
- Untold UK : Jamie Vardy (2026) – Sports Documentary – Netflix Original
- Dhurandhar The Revenge (2026) – Action – Hindi
- KARTAVYA (2026) – Drama – Netflix Original/Hindi
- Oru Durooha Saahacharyathil (2026) – Malayalam
- Bride of the Year (2012) – Afrikaans
- Mardi Gras : Spring Break (2011) – Comedy – R
The Netflix top 10 this week : movies and series ranked
On the movie side, Remarkably Bright Creatures climbed to the top spot with 76 points, overtaking Swapped (still #1 globally). The real story, though, is the mid-chart surge of classic rom-coms : Pretty Woman, The Proposal, and Safe Haven all pulled strong viewership numbers. Subscribers clearly leaned into comfort watching this week rather than new releases.
For series, Worst Ex Ever leads with 72 points — true crime continues to be the format that consistently wins on Netflix, week after week. But Kevin Hart is the surprise story : his live roast shot to #2 with 60 points, and the algorithm then pushed Funny AF with Kevin Hart to #6. That's a 90-point combined performance for Hart content alone. We also spotted Countdown : Rousey vs. Carano entering the charts — the upcoming live boxing event between Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey is clearly building momentum, and a full replay will be available on-demand on Netflix after the event.
| Rank | Movie | Points | Series | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Remarkably Bright Creatures | 76 | Worst Ex Ever | 72 |
| 2 | Swapped | 68 | The Roast of Kevin Hart | 60 |
| 3 | Mother's Day | 52 | Man on Fire | 54 |
| 4 | Home | 48 | La Brea | 40 |
| 5 | Apex | 41 | Lord of the Flies | 30 |
| 6 | Pretty Woman | 26 | Funny AF with Kevin Hart | 29 |
| 7 | The Proposal | 21 | Devil May Cry | 26 |
| 8 | Goat | 20 | Legends | 26 |
| 9 | And So It Goes | 17 | Raw | 25 |
| 10 | Safe Haven | 12 | Nemesis | 17 |
New series worth adding to your watchlist right now
Among the 13 new series, Devil May Cry Season 2 is the one anime fans have been waiting for — it debuted at #7 with 26 points and is building fast. Akane-Banashi also returns with new weekly episodes, reinforcing Netflix's growing commitment to Japanese content. On the drama side, Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine (a Spanish-language limited series) and Soul Mate (Japanese limited series) both bring the kind of binge-worthy narrative arcs that reward a full weekend watch.
Reality TV holds firm with Perfect Match Season 4 pulling 14 points — modest, but consistent with its loyal audience. Between Father and Son, a Spanish-language Netflix Original, and the Korean limited series The WONDERfools add strong international representation to this week's slate. For the full Netflix top 10 and new releases updated weekly, we keep everything sorted so you always know what's worth your time across every major streaming platform.