What's Black On Netflix This May & The Lineup Is Exciting 

May is here and Netflix is coming through with the goods. If you have been looking for an excuse to stay in, cancel plans and plant yourself on the couch with a snack, consider this your official permission slip. Check out what’s new and Black on Netflix this May inside. 

Between brand new originals, beloved classics making their way back to the platform and a live event that the culture has genuinely been waiting on, this month’s Black content on Netflix is stacked in all the right places and across every genre you could want.

Let us talk about what the month is serving from top to bottom. Things kick off strong May 1 with not one but two titles that deserve your full attention. First, there is Den of Thieves, a high-octane crime thriller featuring a cast that is undeniably ours. Then, there is Green Book — the kind of film that earns its place on a watchlist every single time it cycles back around. 

As Essence puts it, this month leans into variety without overcomplicating things, with comedy fans having plenty to tap into, lighter options for a more relaxed watch, and action and drama rounding out a lineup that offers something for every kind of viewer. 

Mid-month is where the energy shifts into a completely different gear. The Roast of Kevin Hart goes live May 10. If you know anything about how roasts work, you already know this is appointment television. Kevin Hart has spent his entire career making other people laugh, and watching the room turn on him in real time is the kind of event that has the group chat going absolutely feral before it even starts.

Then May 14, one of the most anticipated new series of the entire month drops. Nemesis comes from Power creator Courtney A. Kemp. If that name alone does not have you setting a reminder, you need to recalibrate your priorities immediately. Courtney built a television empire from scratch and she does not miss. 

Following that, on May 19th, Wanda Sykes steps onto the stage with a brand new stand-up special that promises to remind everyone why she has been one of the sharpest voices in comedy for three decades and counting. 

Netflix’s Tudum reports it will close out the entire month with something truly special. On May 31, the platform pays tribute to one of the greatest entertainers ever to grace a stage or screen. The streaming platform confirms that the AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Eddie Murphy will be available to stream, giving the culture a proper send-off to a month that delivered in every way that mattered. Netflix is not playing around this month, and neither should you be when it comes to clearing your calendar for all of this.

What’s New And Black On Netflix In May

May 1 — Den of Thieves: An elite LA County Sheriff’s unit tracks a seasoned robbery crew planning a high-risk Federal Reserve heist and starring Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, O’Shea Jackson Jr., and Mo McRae.

May 1 — Green Book: Starring Mahershala Ali alongside Viggo Mortensen, this film follows a working-class bouncer who becomes the driver for a celebrated Black pianist on a tour through the segregated South in the 1960s, where the two form an unlikely connection.

May 1 — Hitch: Will Smith plays a New York “date doctor” whose playbook starts to fall apart when a sharp, no-nonsense columnist played by Eva Mendes enters his life and refuses to be impressed.

May 10 — The Roast of Kevin Hart (LIVE): Live at 8 PM ET on Netflix, comedians and celebrity guests take aim at Kevin Hart in a no-holds-barred roast delivering sharp jokes and personal jabs across a three-hour special.

May 14 — Nemesis: Y’lan Noel, Matthew Law, and Gabrielle Dennis lead this crime drama from Power creator Courtney A. Kemp, where a master thief and a determined detective circle each other in a high-stakes pursuit.

May 19 — Wanda Sykes: Legacy: In her latest stand-up special, Wanda Sykes takes the stage with sharp observations on aging, family dynamics, and politics, delivering the kind of humor that has kept her at the top of comedy for decades.

May 29 — Brazil ’70: The Third Star: This miniseries revisits Brazil’s 1970 World Cup run, recreating key plays and off-field moments from one of soccer’s most celebrated teams, offering a closer look at how that legacy was built.

May 31 — AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy: A filmed ceremony celebrating Eddie Murphy’s career, featuring tributes, speeches, and appearances from peers across film and comedy.

Be sure to tune into Netflix this month to support these titles.

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