Check out Eliza Janssen’s highlights of what’s coming to Netflix New Zealand soon, followed by the full release schedule.
Top Picks: TV
A Man In Full: Miniseries (May 2)
There’s serious TV pedigree behind this real estate drama, starring the great Jeff Daniels as an Atlanta mogul facing bankruptcy—one of the medium’s most dominant figures, David E. Kelley, creates the show, adapting its moneyed mayhem from a Tom Wolfe novel. Expect plenty of “oh hey that guy!” character actors, and hopefully a few hefty, stentorian monologues from JD.
Bodkin: Season 1 (May 9)
If you’re a shameless fan of true crime podcasts, you might get a kick out of this new Irish dramedy. If you can’t stand the unkillable true crime trend, you might also be into it, since it’s a story of three exploitative podcasters getting in way over their heads as they investigate a small-town disappearance. Even if the mystery doesn’t hold up, we’re totally down to listen to some beautiful Irish accents for seven episodes. And to see goofy US comedian Will Forte caught up in the chaos.
Bridgerton: Season 3 Part 1 (May 16)
The second season of Bridgerton was somewhat of a disappointment to our critic, but if anybody can get things back on track it’s gossip maven Lady Whistledown herself—a.k.a. wallflower Penelope (Nicola Coughlan), who has been exposing every Bridgerton kid’s secrets for ages now via her secret, poisoned-pen hobby. This time around, the lovely Coughlan gets to take centre stage, swept up in a friends-to-lovers arc with another hunky Bridgerton son.
Top Picks: Movies + Specials
Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story (May 3)
This will either be completely dire or a twisted comedy surprise: a parody of those ubiquitous product origin story biopics we’ve been besieged with lately, directed by and starring Jerry Seinfeld. The cast of is full of fresh comic faces you love (Drew Tarver! Maria Bakalova! Hugh Grant! James Marsden!) and a few who’ve fallen into disrepute of late, namely Amy Schumer and Seinfeld himself to some extent, grouchy as he’s been about the state of comedy and cinema in general. It looks expensive, retro, and ridiculous.
Atlas (May 24)
Dropping at a time where our mistrust of AI couldn’t be simmering away any more fiercely, this generic-looking sci-fi project stars J.Lo as a brilliant analyst on the trail of a runaway robot. Simu Liu and Sterling K. Brown co-star, in what I’m hoping isn’t a sweeping story about how we’re not so different from artificially intelligent beings. Should be heaps of fun to have on in the background while you’re folding some socks or putting dinner together.
Five Nights at Freddy’s (May 31)
Fans of the hugely viral FNAF video game series might’ve felt this horror adaptation didn’t go deep enough into lore: newcomers like me, who were left scratching our heads at certain points, didn’t quite agree. Either way, it’s a gently scary romp suitable for kids with a spooky streak, and Matthew Lillard is a welcome addition as the creepy dude who hooks poor Josh Hutcherson up with an unenviable night watchman gig. His only task? Keep an eye on the pesky animatronics in a closed-down family restaurant, and piece together the truth behind his brother’s disappearance while he’s at it.
All titles arriving on Netflix New Zealand in May
May 1
Deaw Special: Super Soft Power
Down the Rabbit Hole
Frankly Speaking
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar
Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie
Justice League: Warworld
Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match
May 2
Beautiful Rebel
A Man in Full
Secrets of the Neanderthals
T – P Bon
May 3
John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in L.A.
Postcards
Selling the OC: Season 3
The Unbroken Voice: Season 2
Unfrosted
May 4
Katt Williams: Woke Foke
May 5
The Atypical Family
Roast of Tom Brady
May 7
After Every Happy
Super Rich in Korea
May 8
The Final: Attack on Wembley
May 9
Bodkin
The Guardian of the Monarchs
Mother of the Bride
Thank You, Next
May 10
Blood of Zeus: Season 2
Cooking up Murder: Uncovering the Story of Cesar Roman
The Exorcist: Believer
Living with Leopards
Pokémon Horizons: The Series Part 2
The Ultimatum: South Africa
May 11
Mark Twain Prize Award: Kevin Hart
May 13
Princess Power: Season 3
May 15
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal
The Hours
May 16
Bridgerton: Season 3 Part 1
Maestro in Blue: Season 2
May 17
The 8 Show: Season 1
Chaos Walking
Power
Thelma the Unicorn
May 19
Golden Kamuy
May 21
Rachel Feinstein: Big Guy
May 22
Toughest Forces on Earth
May 23
El vendedor de ilusiones: El caso Generacion Zoe
Franco Escamilla: Ladies’ Man
Garouden: The Way of the Lone Wolf
In Good Hands
Tires
May 24
Atlas
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory
Mulligan: Part 2
My Oni Girl
May 29
Bionic
Colours of Evil: Red
Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult
May 30
Eric
Geek Girl
May 31
Five Nights at Freddy’s
How to Ruin Love: The Proposal
A Part of You
Raising Voices
Tòkunbò
