5 New Movies to Stream This Memorial Day Weekend

Key Takeaways

• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom arrives on Prime Video May 27 after its troubled theatrical run
• HBO Max leads the weekend with two new additions including an Oscar-winning biopic
• Memorial Day weekend sees 77% higher streaming viewership compared to standard weekends

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, and streaming platforms are loading up their catalogs to compete for your attention. This week's new arrivals lean toward HBO Max, which secured both the top spots on our list with a grief-focused drama and a pop star mockumentary.

If you missed last week's additions, Netflix dropped Ladies First and Prime Video added One Battle After Another. Both are still worth catching up on. But here are five fresh picks hitting streaming services between May 25 and May 31.

5. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (Prime Video, May 27)

The Aquaman franchise had a strange journey. The 2018 original starring Jason Momoa unexpectedly grossed $1.2 billion worldwide. Then everything went sideways. COVID-19 delays, multiple rounds of reshoots, and Warner Bros. hiring James Gunn and Peter Safran to reboot the entire DC universe meant this sequel arrived dead on arrival in December 2023.

The plot is straightforward revenge fare. Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) acquires a powerful Black Trident and wants Aquaman dead. To stop him from destroying Atlantis, Aquaman must team up with his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the same guy who tried to kill him in the first film.

The movie works better than its theatrical reception suggested. The chemistry between Momoa and Wilson carries the film, delivering more laughs than you'd expect from a underwater superhero sequel. Director James Wan leans into the absurdity rather than fighting it.

4. The Theory of Everything (HBO Max)

Eddie Redmayne won Best Actor at the 2015 Oscars for playing Stephen Hawking in this biographical drama. The role required a complete physical transformation as Redmayne depicted Hawking's life from his early days at Cambridge through his diagnosis with motor neuron disease and his rise to scientific fame.

The film begins in the early 1960s and follows Hawking's relationship with Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones, who earned her own Oscar nomination). It's a love story as much as a biography, focusing on how the couple navigated his declining health while he rewrote our understanding of the universe.

What Else Is Streaming This Week

HBO Max rounds out the top of this week's list with additional new content, including a mockumentary headlined by a major pop star. The streaming wars continue to heat up as platforms fight for attention during the holiday weekend.

Prime Video subscribers should also keep an eye on the platform's broader strategy. With an estimated 150 million global subscribers, the service has been bundling live sports (MLB and WNBA games) alongside scripted content to increase engagement.

How to Make the Most of the Long Weekend

With weather remaining unpredictable across much of the country, indoor streaming remains a solid backup plan. All five movies on this week's list are available to stream in the U.S., though you'll need subscriptions to the respective platforms.

• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: Prime Video (starting May 27)
• The Theory of Everything: HBO Max (available now)
• Additional HBO Max titles include the pop star mockumentary

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom come to Prime Video?

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom begins streaming on Prime Video on May 27, 2026.

Is The Theory of Everything still worth watching?

Yes. Eddie Redmayne's Oscar-winning performance holds up, and the film offers an accessible entry point into Stephen Hawking's life and work.

Do I need separate subscriptions for all these movies?

This week's picks require either Prime Video or HBO Max subscriptions. The streaming services do not share content libraries.

Why did Aquaman 2 underperform at the box office?

COVID delays, multiple reshoots, and Warner Bros. announcing a DC universe reboot under James Gunn all contributed to the sequel arriving with little marketing support in December 2023.

Source: How-To Geek