Whether the weather outside is wonderful or frightful, our (and your) love for films remains unchanged. And that’s why whenever Netflix updates its library, we ensure you know what’s in and out, so you never miss a good piece of art. This May, it is undeniably a long list of good movies that the streamer is set to replace, so you cannot miss them. Every title on this month’s list of departing films is brilliant and loved by the audience when they were released.

In case you missed any or all of these, this might be the best time to catch them on Netflix before they leave in the coming month. This month, our list leans more towards poignant dramas, and includes some of the most lauded titles of recent times, while also featuring a historic production that changed sci-fi films as we know it. Check out our top favorite movies leaving Netflix in May* 2024 that you cannot miss.

Read more about what's streaming on Netflix:

• The 50 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now
• The Best Netflix Shows and Original Series to Watch Right Now
• The Best Comedies on Netflix Right Now

Jurassic Park

Leaving On: May 1 | Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, B.D. Wong

Rotten Tomato Score: 92%

If an entire generation of kids grew up loving dinosaurs and wanting to pet one, it’s because of Steven Spielberg and it’s hard to imagine a world without this cinematic marvel from 1993. Not only was Jurassic Park a groundbreaking project from the E.T. director but also paved the way for a massive multimedia franchise that became an important pop culture theme for the years to follow. In its time, the sci-fi action-adventure film was one of its kind and noted for recreating dinosaurs through animatronics and traditional CGI which generated newfound interest in paleontology and changed the audience's perception of dinosaurs. Based on Michael Crichton’s eponymous 1990 novel, the screenplay is co-written by Crichton and David Koepp (War of the Worlds), who collaborated with Spielberg on the first three Jurassic Park films. Set on the fictional island of Isla Nublar, off the Pacific Coast near Costa Rica, the first film in the trilogy follows the events at the titular wildlife park. John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), a wealthy industrialist, and a team of geneticists have created a habitat of de-extinct dinosaurs and invite chaotician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), paleontologist Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and paleobotanist Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) to explore. But when a power failure shuts down the facilities and lets the creatures run loose, it results in a catastrophe, putting everyone in danger. Jurassic Park was a blockbuster hit and became the highest-grossing film of all time until Titanic.

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Elvis

Leaving On: May 1 | Directed by: Baz Luhrmann

Cast: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Olivia DeJonge, Helen Thomson, Richard Roxburgh

Rotten Tomato Score: 77%

The life and career of Elvis Presley have been explored in about 15 feature films and several documentaries. But this 2022 biopic by Baz Lurhmann (The Great Gatsby) not only hits hard on the legacy of the King of Rock and Roll but is also considered a glorious take on the personal and professional journey of the rockstar. Written by Sam Bromell (The Get Down), Craig Pearce (Pistol), and Jeremy Doner (Damages), Elvis follows the rise of the artist from his humble beginnings. Told from the perspective of Presley’s former manager, Colonel Tom Parker, the film focuses on their tumultuous working relationship following Parker’s discovery of Presley. Austin Butler stars as the titular musical icon in a stunning portrayal, which earned him a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, while Tom Hanks plays the role of Colonel Parker. As expected, Elvis was a massive success both critically and commercially and has been widely acclaimed, including appreciation and praise from the Presley family, especially for Butler’s portrayal and Lurhmann’s direction. At the 95th Academy Awards, the biopic earned nine nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Butler, among numerous other awards and nominations. A stage adaptation of the film, produced by Luhrmann, is in development.

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Joker

Leaving On: May 1 | Directed by: Todd Phillips

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy

Rotten Tomato Score: 69%

This might be a good time to catch up on the first installment of Joker before the long-awaited and highly-anticipated sequel arrives this October. Joker follows Arthur Fleck, a down-on-luck party clown and aspiring stand-up comedian, who suffers from a neurological disorder and lives an impoverished life with his ailing mother. Shunned by society as a “freak”, Arthur descends into mental illness and nihilism and embraces a life of crime and chaos, while also triggering a countercultural revolution against the rich and famous of Gotham City. Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line) shines in an epic portrayal of the titular protagonist and one of his best works, earning him widespread critical acclaim and an Academy Award for Best Actor, marking his first Oscar. Frances Conroy (American Horror Story) delivers an equally stunning performance as Arthur’s ailing but doting mother, Penny Fleck. Joker was also a massive commercial success, grossing $1 billion, becoming the sixth highest-grossing film of 2019 and the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.

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Uncut Gems

Leaving On: May 9 | Directed by: Safdie Brothers

Cast: Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel

Rotten Tomato Score: 91%

Adam Sandler might be best known as a comedian and making some of the most popular comedy films of the last two decades but the Emmy and Grammy nominee also has a serious side and Uncut Gems is the proof. This 2019 film from A24 hails from the Safdie Brothers of Good Time fame, in their last joint venture before they dissolved their partnership in 2024. Written by the Safdies and Ronald Bronstein, Uncut Gems tells the story of Howard Ratner, played by Sandler, a once successful jeweler-turned-gambling addict from New York’s Diamond District, who makes a risky, high-stakes bet that could change his luck and life. But when rising debts and angry debtors close it, Howard puts everything on the line to stay afloat and alive. Premiered at the 46th Telluride Film Festival, Uncut Gems earned a great reception from critics, for its unique narrative blending dark comedy and psychological drama. Sandler’s portrayal of Howard was widely acclaimed and considered his career-best performance, with the film earning several awards and nominations.

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Silver Linings Playbook

Leaving On: May 1 | Directed by: David O. Russell

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker

Rotten Tomato Score: 92%

David O. Russell of I Heart Huckabees fame, a filmmaker known for making offbeat, dark comedies, writes and directs this 2012 romantic comedy-drama film based on Matthew Quick’s 2008 novel, The Silver Linings Playbook. Starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence in leading roles, Silver Linings Playbook follows the story of Patrizio “Pat” Solitano Jr. (Cooper), a man suffering from bipolar disorder, and Tiffany Maxwell (Lawrence), a widow with an anonymous disorder. After being released from a psychiatric hospital, Pat moves back in with his parents and is determined to win back his estranged wife. He then meets the young widow, Tiffany who offers to help Pat if he partners with her in a dance competition. As they keep training for the competition, they develop a closeness and begin to examine their relationship with their families, and each other, while also navigating their mental health. The film also stars John Ortiz, Shea Whigham, Anupam Kher, and Julia Stiles in various supporting roles. A critical and commercial success, Silver Linings Playbook was highly acclaimed for its cast performance and direction, winning Lawrence her first and only Academy Award and a Golden Globe, among several other nominations and awards.

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Where the Crawdads Sing

Leaving On: May 12| Directed by: Olivia Newman

Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, Michael Hyatt, Garret Dillahunt

Rotten Tomato Score: 96%

Coming-of-age stories can come in many shapes and narratives, even murder mysteries, and quite successfully so, as this 2022 film proves. Based on Delia Owens’ novel of the same name, Where the Crawdads Sing hails from Olivia Newman in her second feature directorial, from a screenplay by Lucy Alibar of Beasts of the Southern Wild fame. Set in the 60s, the mystery drama film follows Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kya, a young girl abandoned by her family who raises herself in the marshland of North Carolina by selling mussels and becoming a naturalist. As an adult, Kya dates Chase, the popular local quarterback, but breaks up after discovering he is already engaged. When Chase is found dead, Kya becomes the prime suspect in the incident and is tried for murder. Produced by Reese Witherspoon under her Hello Sunshine banner, (along with Lauren Neustadter), Where the Crawdads Sing gained popularity for its hard-hitting, female-centric story. The film also boasts a Grammy-nominated song, Carolina, written and performed by Taylor Swift. Despite the mixed reception from critics, the mystery drama film had a great reception from fans and became a box office success.

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Minari

Leaving On: May 23 | Directed by: Lee Isaac Chung

Cast: Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho, Youn Yuh-jung

Rotten Tomato Score: 98%

Before Netflix’s Beef, Steven Yeun earned widespread critical acclaim and popularity with this 2020 drama film, which earned him his first Academy nomination, among several other prestigious awards. Minari is written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung, who received great recognition for his debut feature Munyurangabo, the first narrative feature film in the Rwandan language. Billed as a semi-autobiographical take on Chung’s early life, Minari follows a South Korean immigrant family, where Jacob Yi and his wife, Monica, and their children move to rural Arkansas in the 1980s in pursuit of their American dream. Amid the challenges of a strange new life and the rugged Ozarks, Jacob and Monica try to farm Korean produce and make a living. While they face several trials in their quest, they also discover the strength of family and resilience to fight the odds. On its release, Minari earned great praise from critics and audiences, especially for Chung’s narrative of an intimate and heartbreaking portrait of a family in 1980s America. Along with Yeun, Youn Yuh-jung, who portrays Jacob’s mother, Soon-ja, was lauded for her performance, which earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as a BAFTA, making her the first Korean to win an Oscar for acting. With several other award nominations and a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film to its credit, Minari is also cited as one of the best films of 2020s.

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