New movies and shows on HBO and HBO Max in May 2022

Colin Firth and Toni Collette, The staircase

HBO Max

There is a scene in the second episode of the new true crime drama The staircase for which you are not ready. It involves the titular staircase and Toni Collette, who plays Kathleen Peterson, the victim at the center of the crime. Let’s just say Collette goes above and beyond what would be asked of most actresses in this scene, which you can watch right now on HBO Max. It’s just one of many new shows and movies on HBO and HBO Max this month. (But probably the most disturbing.)

Other options include Season 2 of one of last year’s best (and funniest) new shows, hacksback on May 12, and The Time Traveler’s Wifea television adaptation of the 2003 romance novel, on May 15. Two very different documentaries that will appeal to two very different groups of nerds (Broadway nerds and comedy nerds) will also premiere in May: Spring Awakening: Those You’ve Knownwhich doubles as a concert film in honor of the rock musical’s 15th anniversary, and George Carlin’s American Dreamco-directed by Judd Apatow.

Below we have our picks for the month, along with a list of everything coming to HBO and HBO Max in May, and everything leaving HBO Max as well.

New movies and shows to watch on HBO and HBO Max in May

Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, hacks

HBO Max

HBO Max streams all HBO shows and movies when they debut on HBO. But not all shows and movies on HBO Max make it to HBO. We will designate HBO Max exclusives where applicable.

Spring Awakening: Those You’ve Known (May 3)

Hello my friend spring awakening fans, it’s finally our time. The Tony-winning rock musical about sheltered German teenagers in the 1890s exploring their sexuality turns 15 this year, and the original Broadway cast – including Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele and John Gallagher Jr. – have reunited for a reunion concert to celebrate. We’ll see that concert in this documentary, which also delves into the musical’s legacy.

The staircase (May 5, HBO Max)

It’s been a banner year for true crime cases turned into scripted miniseries, so The staircase is comfortably inserted among the others. Colin Firth plays author Michael Peterson, who in 2001 was framed for the murder of his wife after he claimed she had fallen down the stairs. The star-studded cast also includes Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Sophie Turner and Michael Stuhlbarg. [Trailer]

hacks (May 12, HBO Max)

HBO Max’s Best Original Comedy Devil Series (yes, I said it) returns for Season 2, which finds Deborah (Jean Smart) and Ava (Hannah Einbinder) touring the country testing new material. What will Deborah do when she inevitably learns that Ava gave slanderous information about her to these TV producers at the end of Season 1? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out. [Trailer]

The Time Traveler’s Wife (May 15)

Note: this is different from the Eric Bana-Rachel McAdams movie. Here, Theo James and Rose Leslie star respectively as the time traveler and his wife in a TV adaptation of Audrey Niffenegger’s 2003 novel. James plays Henry DeTamble, who suffers from a rare disorder that transports him uncontrollably through time. Leslie plays Clare Abshire, the woman who loves him despite everything. A lot wigs are worn. [Trailer]

George Carlin’s American Dream (Date to be determined)

Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio direct this documentary about George Carlin, examining the legendary comedian’s career through the lens of his influence on every person who’s ever cracked a joke into a microphone after him. You can expect plenty of talking heads from other famous comedians spouting out their heroes.

Learn more about HBO and HBO Max:

It’s all coming to HBO and HBO Max in May

May 1:
Yellowface: Asian Bleaching and Racism in Hollywood, 2019
47 Ronins, 2013
Assassins, 2020 (HBO)
Point Blank, 1986 (HBO)
An autumn afternoon, 1962
The big sleep, 1946
Back to school, 1986
Rocket Bottle, 1996
Calladita, 2020 (HBO)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, 1968 (HBO)
Child 44, 2015 (HBO)
Chung King Express, 1994
The Color Violet, 1985
Conan the Barbarian, 2011 (HBO)
Devil in a Blue Dress, 1995
Dodes’ Ka-Den, 1970
Dominos, 2019 (HBO)
Descent, 1927
Girl in the Net, 1933
Early Spring, 1956
Beginning of summer, 1951
The End of Summer, 1961
Equinox Flower, 1958
Gum, 1996
Fallen Angels, 1995
Floating Weeds, 1959
FRIDA, 2002 (HBO)
The Fugitive, 1993
Furry Vengeance, 2010 (HBO)
Gang Bound, 1997 (HBO)
Hello, 1959
Hard Rain, 1998 (HBO)
Hart’s War, 2002 (HBO)
Up and Down, 1963
Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius, 2001 (HBO)
Julia, 1956
Killers, 2010 (HBO)
Language courses, 2021
Love and baseball, 2021
The machine that kills the bad guys, 1952
Masters of the Universe, 1987 (HBO)
The Disappeared, 2003 (HBO)
The New Guy, 2002 (HBO)
North Dallas Forty, 1979 (HBO)
Not Easily Broken, 2009
Perks of Being a Wallflower, 2012
Poseidon, 2006
Red Beard, 1965
Ringo and his golden pistol, 1966
Rugrats Go Wild, 2003 (HBO)
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, 2000 (HBO)
The movie Rugrats, 1998 (HBO)
The Sapphires, 2012 (HBO)
Reason and Sensibility, 1995
Sliding doors, 1998
St. Elmo fire, 1985
The Stepford Wives, 2004 (HBO)
Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, 2009 (extended version)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 1991 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
Tokyo Twilight, 1957
Top Secret!, 1984 (HBO)
Transporter 3, 2008 (HBO)
Uninterrupted, 2014
Underworld, 2003
Underworld: Awakening, 2012
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, 2009
Welcome to the Dollhouse, 1995
US, 2011 (HBO)
What to expect when you’re pregnant, 2012 (HBO)
The Wild Thornberrys Movie, 2002 (HBO)
You, Me and Dupree, 2006
Young Adult, 2011 (HBO)
Zathura: A Space Adventure, 2005

May 3:

Spring Awakening: Those You Know, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

May 5:

Las Bravas FC, Max Original season 1 premiere
Queen Stars Brazil, Max Original Season 1 Premiere
The staircase, first of the Max Original limited series

May 6:

Dear Evan Hansen, 2021 (HBO)
Between our: Carmen and Alfred (HBO)
La Finadora De Arboles, 2019 (HBO)

May 7:

We Baby Bears, Season 1 Part C

May 9:

Getting Hard, 2015

May 10:

Catwoman: Hunted, 2022
The Matrix: Resurrections, 2021 (HBO)
Sesame Street Mecha Builders Season 1 Part A
Robot Chicken Season 11 Part B

May 12:

Hacks, Max Original Season 2 Premiere
Who’s By Your Side, Max Original Season 1 Premiere

May 13:

Hank Zipzer, 2014
Old, 2021 (HBO)
Cubs, Season 4

May 15:

The Time Traveler’s Wife, Drama Series Premiere (HBO)

May 17:

Sesame Street Mecha Builders Season 1 Part B
The Mule, 2018 (HBO)

May 20:

Identity Tomada, 2020 (HBO)

May 22:

Fast foodies, season 2

May 23:

The Teen Titans Go! Season 7 Part B

May 26:
Navalny
That Fucking Michael Che, Max Original Season 2 Premiere
Tig n’ Seek, Max Original Season 4 Premiere

May 27:
Blippi Special
Blippi Tours
Blippi Wonders
Blippi: Learn with Blippi
Ghost, Season 1
Ghost, Season 2
Stath rents apartments

May 29:

The Misery Index Season 3 Part B, 2021

May 31st :

Miami Vice, 2006 (extended version)

Everything is leaving HBO Max in May

May 14:

Cry Wolf, 2005 (extended version) (HBO)

May 24:

Cinderella Man, 2005 (long version)
The 40-Year-Old Virgin, 2005 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)

May 25:

Curious George, 2006 (HBO)
Two for the Money, 2005 (HBO)

May 27:

Destiny, 2005 (HBO)
Pride and Prejudice, 2005 (HBO)

May 31st :
27 dresses, 2008 (HBO)
The Animal, 2001 (HBO)
A Perfect Murder, 1998 (HBO)
A Very Brady Sequel, 1996 (HBO)
Adult Beginners, 2014 (HBO)
Army of Darkness, 1992 (HBO)
Billy Elliot, 2000
Bully, 2001 (HBO)
Change Lanes, 2002 (HBO)
Clueless, 1995 (HBO)
Control Room, 2004 (HBO)
Cymbeline, 2014 (HBO)
Dead Heat, 1988 (HBO)
Dirty Pretty Things, 2002 (HBO)
Doctor Dolittle, 1998 (HBO)
Doubt, 2008
Dr. Dolittle 2, 2001 (HBO)
Enough said, 2013 (HBO)
Excerpt, 2009 (HBO)
Fatal Attraction, 1987
Frontera, 2014 (HBO)
Gloria, 1999 (HBO)
Goodbye, 2004 (HBO)
How to be single, 2016
Insomnia, 2002 (HBO)
Irises, 2001 (HBO)
It Takes Two, 1995 (HBO)
Killer, 2019 (HBO)
Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man, 2005 (HBO)
Love and a .45, 1994 (HBO)
Mom, 2013 (HBO)
Mindhunters, 2004 (HBO)
Phone Booth, 2002 (HBO)
Princess Kaiulani, 2009 (HBO)
Pulse, 2001 (HBO)
Rubber, 2010 (HBO)
Speed, 1994
Driver, 2013
Super Capers, 2009 (HBO)
The Answer Man, 2009 (HBO)
The Benchwarmers, 2006 (HBO)
The Conspirator, 2010 (HBO)
The Forgotten, 2004 (HBO)
The Good Doctor, 2011 (HBO)
The Crooks, 1990 (HBO)
The Italian Job, 2003 (HBO)
Lawn Mower Man, 1992 (HBO)
The Rules of Attraction, 2002 (HBO)
The Eastwick Witches, 1987
The Wolf Pack, 2015 (HBO)
The Wrecking Crew!, 2008 (HBO)
It’s 40, 2012
Trollhunter, 2010 (HBO)
Two lovers, 2008 (HBO)
The two Jacques, 1990
Viva, 2007 (HBO)
War Horse, 2011
War Against Everyone, 2016 (HBO)
World’s Best Dad, 2009 (HBO)
Wrist Cutters: A Love Story, 2006 (HBO)

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