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New Disney Plus movies: the top new films to stream in May 2023

New Disney Plus movies: May 5, 2023 update

Tom Power, entertainment reporter

Our first May 2023 update sees the addition of Rye Lane, Searchlight Pictures’ new UK rom-com drama, join our new Disney Plus movies list. We’ve also removed every December 2022 entry as, well, they’re no longer considered new additions to the streamer’s movie library.

Searching for all of the new Disney Plus movies to arrive on the platform since February? You’ve come to the right place.

In this guide, we’ve rounded up every new film to join Disney Plus‘ back catalog in the last three months. All of them are available to watch right now on Disney Plus UK, but US and Australian viewers may need to try some of the world’s other leading streaming services to catch flicks including Boston Strangler. Some of the below entries are distributed on other platforms in non-UK regions and, where possible, we’ve explained where you can watch them in their respective entries.

Additionally, if you’re looking for a more thorough rundown of the greatest movies available on Disney’s primary streamer, our best Disney Plus movies guide should be your port of call. If you’re only searching for every new film to land on this service, though, read on.

New Disney Plus movies: May 2023

Rye Lane

Release date: May 3 (available on Hulu in the US)

Set in the South London borough of Peckham, Rye Lane tells the tale of two 20-somethings – Dom (David Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah) – who connect over the bad break-ups they’ve just endured. The pair help each other to get over their respective heartbreaks, get back at their nightmare exes, and potentially restore each other’s faith in romance.

It sounds quite schlocky for a rom-com, but Rye Lane is anything but generic. Its smart, funny, flavorsome, and culturally original take on the romantic comedy formula makes Rye Lane one of the better genre-specific films of its generation. Why not take a romantic walk down this particular street and give it a try?

New Disney Plus movies: April 2023

Peter Pan and Wendy

Release date: April 28

Disney is off to Never Never Land (again) in a new live-action adaptation of JM Barrie’s immortal tale about the boy who never grew up. 

Anyone who’s read the book, or seen the numerous previous film versions, will have a rough idea of the plot. As the trailer shows, the pre-requisite pirates, fairies, and flying kids are all present and correct, meaning all eyes are on its cast. 

Jude Law follows in the footsteps of Jason Isaacs and Dustin Hoffman as the villainous Captain Hook, while newcomer Alexander Molony bags the lead role as Peter. He’ll be joined by Ever Anderson (last seen as the young Natasha Romanoff in Black Widow) as Wendy and Black-ish’s Yara Shahidi as Tinker Bell. The Green Knight’s David Lowery directs a film that, for the most part, has been well received among critics.

New Disney Plus movies: March 2023

Boston Strangler 

Keira Knightley as Loretta McLaughlin in Boston Strangler

Boston Strangler arrived on Disney Plus in mid-March. (Image credit: Disney Plus)

Release date: March 17 (available on Hulu in the US)

This is far from the first movie to tackle the mystery surrounding the real-life serial killer dubbed the Boston Strangler – Tony Curtis played the eponymous killer on screen as far back as 1968 – but this new film attempts to put a new spin on the manhunt. Keira Knightley and Carrie Coon play Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole, two journalists on the trail of the eponymous killer in the early ’60s, whose tenacious reporting forced previously complacent authorities to take notice. 

Alongside the usual crime thriller elements, the film ponders whether the Strangler might actually have been multiple murderers, and how bringing a female perspective on the case was crucial to making Boston aware of the danger at hand. Worth a watch for true crime aficionados and a deserving of a place on our new Disney Plus movies list.

Chang Can Dunk

Chang shares a joke with a fellow basketball player in Chang Can Dunk

Chang Can Dunk is a fairly derivative sports-based drama movie. (Image credit: Disney Plus)

Release date: March 10

This Disney Plus Original movie (co-produced by Master of None’s Lena Waithe) has echoes of past Disney high school/sports movies like The Mighty Ducks

The titular Xiao Ming ‘Bernard’ Chang (Bloom Li) is a sophomore student who loves basketball, but lacks the height or skills to complete a successful slam dunk. After falling into a swimming pool makes him the reluctant subject of a viral video, he ends up making a bet with one of the most popular kids in school – that he’ll complete a dunk by homecoming. If he fails, he’ll have to pay up to the tune of a valuable first edition Pokémon card. Expect plenty of valuable life lessons to be learned as Chang gets expert tips from basketball YouTuber Deandre Cooke (Dexter Darden).

Empire of Light

Stephen and Hillary look around an abandoned cinema in Empire of Light

Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light received mixed reviews upon release. (Image credit: Searchlight Pictures)

Release date: March 1 (available on HBO Max in the US)

With Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, and this offering from Skyfall and 1917 director Sam Mendes, love letters to cinema have been all the rage in recent months. In Empire of Light, Mendes assembles an all-star cast featuring Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth, and Toby Jones to tell the 1980s-set story of a group of people brought together by a theater in a British coastal town.

While the romance between Colman’s theater manager Hilary and co-worker Stephen (Ward) is the movie’s beating heart, Empire of Light explores broader issues like racism and mental illness. It’s also a celebration of the magic of the movies, so it’s appropriate that legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins (Skyfall, Blade Runner 2049) is on hand to make everything look beautiful. One that’ll stick around on our new Disney Plus movies guide for a while.

New Disney Plus movies: February 2023

J-hope in the Box

A screenshot of the title card for J-hope in the Box on Disney Plus

J-hope in the Box is a docufilm that BTS fans will revel in. (Image credit: Disney Plus)

Release date: February 17

If you’re a BTS fan, there’s a good chance you’ve already seen this on numerous occasions. 

For the benefit of everyone else, this documentary follows BTS band member J-hope as he makes and releases his first solo record, aka ‘Jack in the Box’. Along the way, the rapper (the first member of BTS to release his own material) talks about the creative decisions that went into making the album, as well as preparing for a ground-breaking performance at the Lollapalooza festival. 

Expect plenty of insight into what makes one of the most popular recording artists on the planet tick. Also, with BTS taking an extended hiatus to pursue various solo projects and complete the military service that’s mandatory in South Korea, J-Hope in the Box is the ideal way to fill the void. A largely worthy inclusion in our new Disney Plus movies guide.

42 to 1

Buster Douglas stares into the camera in the 42 to 1 docufilm

Get the lowdown on how Buster Douglas beat Mike Tyson in the docufilm 42 to 1. (Image credit: ESPN/Disney)

Release date: February 10

In 1990, Mike Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world. Then he came up against Buster Douglas, who defied 42-1 odds to leave his previously undefeated opponent on the canvas. 

This ESPN documentary tells the story of one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, predominantly from the point of view of the victor. Alongside interviews with the underdog champ, there’s plenty of archive footage that’ll enthrall and engage you in equal measure. Just don’t expect any new contributions from Tyson.

Aquamarine

Emma Roberts, Sara Paxton and JoJo look right into the camera for an Aquamarine photoshoot

Aquamarine is a teenage rom-com from years gone by. (Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Release date: February 3

A reminder of a time when teen rom-coms made it into theaters rather than going direct to streaming, this 2006 movie is effectively a high-school version of Splash

During their last summer together, a pair of best friends find a mermaid who’s run (okay, swum) away from home. Cue plenty of (literal) fish out of water comedy as the girls try to keep the eponymous Aquamarine’s watery origins a secret – as with Madison in Splash, she grows legs when she’s on dry land – and chat about boys. Elements of the film have undoubtedly dated, but pre-teen viewers should find plenty to enjoy.

Water & Power: A California Heist

A screenshot of the title card for Water & Power: A California Heist

Water & Power: A California Heist is an intriguing docufilm that’s worth your time. (Image credit: National Geographic/Disney)

Release date: February 3 (unavailable to stream for free in Australia)

The title may suggest this is some kind of film noir, but this is actually a National Geographic documentary – albeit one with sinister echoes of Jack Nicholson-starring crime classic Chinatown – about water barons profiting from California’s natural resources at the expense of its residents. 

Directed by Marina Zenovich (who won an Emmy for Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired) and produced by Alex Gibney (an Oscar-winner for Taxi to the Dark Side), Water & Power tells a story of exploitation in a state whose issues with water supply are well documented. A powerful docufilm that needs to be seen to be believed.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Shuri looks to her right as she wears a Talokanil dress in Black Panther 2

Shuri contemplates life after T’Challa in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Release date: February 1

Arguably the biggest release to hit Disney Plus this year, the sequel to Black Panther is, in our view, a monumental triumph. Picking up a year after the first film ended, the Marvel Phase 4 film handles the unexpected loss of Chadwick Boseman by playing out the death of King T’Challa – resulting in a beautifully touching funeral scene.

In the wake of T’Challa’s death, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (Martin Freeman) must step up to protect themselves from intervening world powers, pressuring Wakanda to share its vibranium. After a chaotic period, a new Black Panther is created and battle ensues, leading Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to be one of the better Phase 4 film offerings.

This much-anticipated Marvel sequel strikes all the right notes, a tricky task when it had such big shoes to fill. Find out where one of the more recent new Disney Plus movies placed on our best Marvel movies list.

New Disney Plus movies: coming soon

Scott and Hope protect Cassie in the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Ant-Man 3 finally shrinks down onto Disney Plus next month. (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Here’s a the brief list of the films confirmed to be releasing on Disney Plus throughout May and June 2023:

  • Crater – May 12
  • Ad Astra – May 12
  • Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – May 17
  • White Men Can’t Jump – May 19
  • Stan Lee (docufilm) – June 16
  • World’s Best – June 23

Not up for a movie? Try our pick of the best Disney Plus shows or find out if there’s a free Disney Plus trial available.

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