With more and more competition in the streaming market – largely streamers backed by broadcasters with vast back catalogs – it feels a bit like Netflix is getting squeezed as its rivals hoard content.
But Netflix is doing its best to fight back.
Throughout 2022, the streaming giant will debut a brand new movie every week. Already available to watch are The Adam Project, the Ryan Reynolds-led family adventure; Against The Ice, a bleak frosty thriller; and Windfall, a twisty home-invasion drama.
And among the big-name releases lined up are Knives Out 2, the sequel to the hugely successful detective drama; The Gray Man, a starry spy thriller with Ryan Gosling, Ana De Armas and Chris Evans; and Spiderhead, a dystopian thriller led by Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller.
There are still plenty of movies to be found on Netflix that belong to other studios, but they do continue to leave. Occasionally, they return, but it seems like an array of quality films are departing each month.
We'll always keep you up to date on what’s coming to Netflix and what’s leaving Netflix. Right now, we want to make sure you don’t miss out on some top-quality movies before they skip the platform at the end of May. Here are five such movies…
Stardust
The movie adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s 1999 novel wasn't a slam dunk at the box office with a gross of $137 million on a budget of $80 million, but it has retained a real following and continues to be enjoyed by new converts of all ages.
The story follows Tristan, a young man from the fictional town of Wall in Great Britain. Wall is a town on the border of the magical fantasy kingdom of Stormhold. Tristan enters the magical world to collect a fallen star to give to his beloved Victoria, in return for her hand in marriage. He collects the star who, to his surprise, is a woman named Yvaine. Witches and the Princes of Stormhold are also hunting for Yvaine. Meanwhile, Tristan tries to get her back to Wall with him before Victoria's birthday, the deadline of her offer.
With a starry cast that includes Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Sienna Miller, Ricky Gervais, Rupert Everett, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro, the film is a wide-eyed, warm and big-hearted family adventure. It's well worth discovering if you haven’t already.
When is it leaving Netflix?
May 31
Coach Carter
Before he got the role of Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Samuel L. Jackson played a very different kind of mentor in Coach Carter, a tough sports drama.
The film is based on the true story of Richmond High School basketball coach Ken Carter. Carter made headlines in 1999 after he decided to suspend his undefeated high school basketball team as his players were neglecting their academic commitments.
Jackson plays Carter, who returns to the school as head coach to turn the Richmond Oilers' luck around, having played for the team 30 years earlier. Initially, the team is rude and disrespectful to him, but Carter wins them over and they begin to enjoy success on the court. But, as both the coach and his players discover, the road to trophies is always very bumpy...
Starring Jackson, Rob Brown, Rick Gonzalez, Ashanti and a young Channing Tatum, this is an engaging, powerful drama with Jackson commanding the film superbly.
When is it leaving Netflix?
May 31
The Disaster Artist
The Disaster Artist is a film about the making of the worst film ever made. A strange concept? Definitely, but it works.
The film chronicles the unlikely and turbulent friendship between aspiring actors Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero, a friendship that leads to them teaming up for the production of Wiseau's 2003 film The Room, which is widely considered one of the worst films ever made.
James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Alison Brie and Ari Graynor star, with James Franco also writing and directing.
There are lots of real-life Hollywood cameos and lots of big laughs in this skillfully told, meta-comedy.
When is it leaving Netflix?
May 31
Eye In The Sky
Helen Mirren, the late Alan Rickman, Aaron Paul and Barkhad Abdi star in this gripping drama, which shines a light on the ethical challenges of drone warfare. It is suffocating, tense and powerful all at the same time.
The film follows Mirren’s Colonel Katherine Powell, a military officer in command of an operation to capture terrorists in Kenya, who sees her mission escalate when a young girl enters the kill zone. What do you do? This being modern warfare, it’s an international situation and one with no easy answers.
A tough watch at times, but well worth your time.
When is it leaving Netflix?
May 13
Closer
Patrick Marber’s play was brought to the big screen in 2004 and remains a shocking, uncompromising, and, at times, profoundly uncomfortable watch.
The story follows four people, Natalie Portman’s free-spirited Alice, Jude Law’s struggling writer Dan, Julia Roberts’ photographer Anna and Clive Owen’s arrogant doctor Larry.
Alice and Dan are together, as are Anna and Larry. After their lives become entwined, the relationships of both couples quickly become complicated and deceitful.
The film keeps its theatrical sensibilities to such an extent that 99.9% of the screen time is taken up by the four stars. Owen had actually starred in Marber’s play when it first appeared on the London stage, but in the role played by Law in the film.
This is not for the faint of heart. It’s coarse, incredibly sweary and quite upsetting, but if you’re in the mood for a very adult drama, it’s essential viewing. You’ll certainly have plenty to talk about afterward.
When is it leaving Netflix?
May 31
