Top 11 films leaving Netflix in May – full list

Netflix is renewing its catalogue in May, and that means some cinematic gems that are currently available for streaming wont be included in our subscription plan – including Oscar winners, historical dramas, sci-fi and horror flicks.

Here, we take a look at the eleven best films that you can still enjoy this month, the full list of movies that will be leaving the streaming service, and when each one will be made unavailable.

1917 (2019)

Directed by Sam Mendes, 1917 is a World War I epic inspired by stories told to Mendes by his grandfather, Alfred Mendes, who served in the war.

The film follows two young British soldiers, played by George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman, who are tasked with delivering a message across enemy lines to save 1,600 men from walking into a trap.

The film is known for its immersive “one-shot” presentation, achieved through long takes and seamless. Its stellar cast includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, and Andrew Scott.

During the 2020 awards season, 1917 received widespread acclaim and won three Academy Awards (Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound Mixing), as well as seven BAFTAs – including Best Film and Best Director.

Fury (2014)

Set in the final months of World War II, Fury follows a battle-hardened U.S. tank crew behind enemy lines in Nazi Germany. Directed by David Ayer, the film stars Brad Pitt as Staff Sergeant Don “Wardaddy” Collier, with supporting roles from Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Peña, and Jon Bernthal.

The film is noted for its gritty realism and depiction of armoured warfare, using an actual Sherman tank and a rare working Tiger I tank loaned from the Bovington Tank Museum in Dorset.

While not a major awards contender, Fury was praised for its performances and authenticity, and is considered by some to be one of the most realistic modern portrayals of tank warfare in media.

The Death of Stalin (2017)

A darkly comic depiction of the Soviet power numbness period following Joseph Stalin’s death in 1953, The Death of Stalin was directed by Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It and Veep). The film stars Steve Buscemi as Nikita Khrushchev, Simon Russell Beale as Lavrentiy Beria, and Jeffrey Tambor as Georgy Malenkov.

Based on the French graphic novel La Mort de Staline, the film blends satire with historical events, dramatising the chaos and fear that defined the USSR’s leadership transition. It received critical acclaim and was nominated for two BAFTA Awards, winning Best Adapted Screenplay. Interestingly, the film was banned in Russia and several former Soviet countries due to its unflattering portrayal of historical figures.

Legends of the Fall (1994)

Directed by Edward Zwick, this sprawling drama stars Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, and Julia Ormond, and tells the story of three brothers and their father living in early 20th-century Montana across decades.

Adapted from the novel by Jim Harriso, its narrative spans the First World War and Prohibition, and blends romance with historical drama – against the stunning backdrop of Alberta, Canada.

Legends of the Fall won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography and was nominated for two others.

Hidden Figures (2016)

A historical drama based on the non-fiction book by Margot Lee Shetterly, Hidden Figures tells the true story of three African-American women – Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson – who played critical roles at NASA during the space race.

Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe star in Hidden Figures, and are joined by Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, and Jim Parsons.

The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and Octavia Spencer earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. It won the SAG Award for Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture.

The Mauritanian (2021)

Directed by Kevin Macdonald, The Mauritanian is a legal drama based on the memoir of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who was imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay for 14 years without charge.

Tahar Rahim stars as Slahi, and Jodie Foster is his defence lawyer Nancy Hollander – a role for which she won a Golden Globe. Rahim also received a BAFTA nomination.

The film is notable for its portrayal of post-9/11 justice and human rights issues, and it draws heavily from real-life transcripts and legal documents.

Life (2017)

Life is a sci-fi horror film directed by Daniel Espinosa and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ryan Reynolds. The film follows a crew aboard the International Space Station who discover a rapidly evolving life form from Mars that threatens their survival.

The screenplay, written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Deadpool), reportedly draws inspiration from earlier space horror films such as Alien.

The Adolf Eichmann Trial (2011)

This documentary recounts the infamous trial of Adolf Eichmann, one of the key figures of the Holocaust, who was captured by Israeli agents in Argentina in 1960.

Directed by Michaël Prazan, the film features archival footage, testimonies, and historical context surrounding his Jerusalem trial, which was one of the first televised trials in history.

Eichmann’s capture and prosecution helped raise global awareness of the Holocaust and became a foundation for international human rights law, and his trial has also inspired other films throughout the years.

Diana (2013)

Based on the book Diana: Her Last Love by Kane Snell and directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, Diana stars Naomi Watts as the late Princess of Wales and focuses on the final two years of her life, particularly her relationship with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.

Naomi Watts later stated the role was one of the most challenging of her career, saying: “It’s very difficult to play someone who had such a deep impact and left such a lasting memory on the public. Our memory of her is still very fresh and you have to be respectful of that. But I want to do her justice and tell her story truthfully”.

The Last Witch Hunter (2015)

Starring Vin Diesel as an immortal witch hunter, this film has touches of fantasy, horror, and action. Directed by Breck Eisner, the film also boasts a cast including Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood, and Michael Caine.

While it didn’t garner major awards or critical acclaim, it developed a cult following.

The story was co-written by Cory Goodman, and Diesel reportedly used elements of a character he had created for the Dungeons & Dragons game, when shaping his role. A sequel has reportedly been in the works since 2020.

Masterminds (2016)

This comedy crime piece is based on the true story of the 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery in North Carolina. Directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite), the film stars Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson, and Jason Sudeikis.

Masterminds gained attention for its absurdist take on a real-life heist, and the eccentric details of the true story – many of which were taken directly from court records and FBI reports.

Full list of titles that are leaving Netflix UK in May:

May 1st

• 1917 (2019)

• The 5th Wave (2016)

• A Man Wanted (2017)

• The Adolf Eichmann Trial (2011)

• All We Had (2016)

• Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher (2013)

• Big Fat Liar (2002)

• The Bronze (2002)

• Calais, the End of the Jungle (2017)

• The Death of Stalin (2017)

• Diana (2013)

• Earth Playlist (Season 1) N

• Emma’s Chance (2016)

• Escorts (2015)

• From Russia with Cash (2015)

• Fury (2014)

• Get in (2019) N

• Hatton Garden (Season 1)

• Hidden Figures (2016)

• Legally High (2013)

• Legends of the Fall (1994)

• Life (2017)

• Maggie’s Plan (2015)

• Masterminds (2016)

• The Mauritanian (2021)

• Mission: Joy – Finding Happiness in Troubled Times (2021)

• Murder in Successville (2017)

• The Paedophile Hunter (2014)

• Penelope (2006)

• Pixels (2015)

• The Possesion of Hannah Grace (2018)

• Proud Mary (2018)

• Psych (2014)

• Rough Night (2017)

• Sleepless (2017)

• Terror at the Mall (2014)

• Three Days of Terror: The Charlie Hebdo Attack (2016)

• The Throwaways (2015)

May 2nd

May 4th

May 6th