Streaming in May 2026: Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia, Sam Raimi’s Send Help, and the Return of John Carpenter’s The Thing

Summer has arrived, which means vacation season is here—and plenty of travel inspiration can be found among the best movies on streaming this May. A bloody ballet battle royale in Budapest on Prime Video’s *Pretty Lethal*, a visit to the picturesque (and definitely not haunted) Dutch forests on Shudder’s *Heresy*, or an action-packed trip to Japan courtesy of Netflix’s *My Hero Academia: You’re Next* are just some of the locations likely to give viewers wanderlust this month. For those seeking something more tropical, *Send Help* on Hulu delivers, though director Sam Raimi’s twisty survival horror might make you think twice before turning on your out-of-office emails. And if rising temperatures are already too much, the Antarctic chill of John Carpenter’s classic *The Thing* and its 1950s inspiration *The Thing from Another World* are both landing on the Criterion Channel. Here are WIRED’s picks of the best movies to watch right now.

Bugonia

A remake of Jang Joon-hwan’s 2003 South Korean film *Save the Green Planet!*, *Bugonia* sees paranoid conspiracy theorist Teddy Gatz (Jesse Plemons) and his autistic cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) kidnap prominent CEO Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), subjecting her to inventive, brutal forms of torture as he tries to force a confession that she is in contact with invading aliens. Fuller’s company also happens to be responsible for a botched medical trial that left Gatz’s mother comatose. So is Gatz just a troubled man struggling with grief, out for vengeance against a corrupt businesswoman, or has he stumbled on the greatest threat to humanity? Director Yorgos Lanthimos (*Poor Things*, *The Favourite*) has tremendous fun teasing out the answer, while Stone has rarely been as captivating on screen as she is as Fuller, somehow seeming like an animal playing with its food, even at her shaven-headed, desperate lowest points. Watch on Netflix.

My Hero Academia: You’re Next

As the fourth movie spin-off from the long-running anime series *My Hero Academia*, *You’re Next* might not seem like an obvious jumping-on point for original manga creator Kōhei Horikoshi’s tale of trainee superheroes in a world where everyone has powers. Thankfully, this film is largely stand-alone, allowing anyone who fancies a couple of hours of dynamic anime action to jump right in. All you need to know is that in the wake of a disaster, Izuku “Deku” Midoriya (voiced by Daiki Yamashita in Japanese, Justin Briner in English) and his classmates must face off against a new villain named Dark Might, a dark reflection of Japan’s once-greatest champion All Might—the hero who gave Izuku his powers in the first place. Throw in a mafia crime family, a cyborg butler, and a young girl with unpredictable new powers for Deku and his allies to test their mettle against, and only the stoniest of hearts will not be entertained. Watch on Netflix.

Pretty Lethal

Ask any trained dancer and they will tell you ballet is one of the most grueling things you can put your body through, requiring incredible poise and strength to perform, and a killer competitive streak to make it in the field. All three of those qualities, and a host of teenage snark, take to the stage in this brilliantly schlocky action outing from director Vicky Jewson. The film sees five American ballerinas trapped in Budapest, having to adapt their skills to escape a violent war between two crime families—one led by deranged former ballerina Devora Kasimer (Uma Thurman, absolutely vamping every scene). Expect blood-soaked tutus, electrifying fight choreography, and one of the most creative uses of *The Nutcracker* suite on film. Watch on Amazon Prime Video.

Good Boy

When Todd (Shane Jensen) moves to his late grandfather’s run-down rural home, his dog Indy immediately senses the vibes are off. Outside, the surrounding woods are full of interesting smells and critters to chase. Inside, something emerges at night, preying on Todd, worsening his health and his sanity—all while Indy tries to protect him. The film gradually reveals the nature of the threat lurking in the house, blending psychological horror with canine loyalty in a way that keeps the tension ratcheting up. As Todd’s grip on reality loosens, the line between what is real and what is imagined becomes increasingly blurred, leading to a climax that questions who—or what—is truly the monster. Watch on Shudder.

Heresy

Set in the Dutch forests that look picturesque but are definitely not haunted, *Heresy* follows a group of hikers who stumble upon an isolated community with unsettling rituals. What begins as a scenic getaway quickly descends into a nightmare as the visitors realize the locals have no intention of letting them leave. The film leans heavily on atmosphere, using the dense woodland and eerie silence to build dread, while the community’s dark secrets are revealed piece by piece. With strong performances and a slow-burn narrative, *Heresy* delivers a chilling exploration of faith, isolation, and the horrors that can lurk just beneath the surface of a tranquil setting. Watch on Shudder.

Send Help

Director Sam Raimi’s twisty survival horror *Send Help* takes viewers to a tropical setting that quickly turns treacherous. The story follows a group of vacationers who find themselves stranded on a remote island after their boat capsizes, only to discover they are not alone. As they struggle to survive the elements, they must also contend with a mysterious predator that seems to be hunting them one by one. Raimi brings his signature blend of dark humor and visceral horror to the film, creating a tense and unpredictable ride that will have audiences thinking twice before planning their next beach getaway. Watch on Hulu.

John Carpenter’s The Thing and The Thing from Another World

Both John Carpenter’s 1982 classic *The Thing* and its 1950s inspiration *The Thing from Another World* are now landing on the Criterion Channel this month. Carpenter’s film, set in an Antarctic research station, follows a group of scientists who discover a shape-shifting alien that can perfectly imitate any living organism, leading to paranoia and violence as the team tries to identify who is still human. The 1951 original, directed by Christian Nyby and produced by Howard Hawks, offers a more straightforward take on the same premise, with a military team battling a plant-based alien in the Arctic. Together, they provide a fascinating double feature on how horror cinema evolved across decades, both delivering icy dread that remains effective to this day. Watch on the Criterion Channel.

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