The month of May arrives with high-voltage energy, marking a turning point both in movie theaters and in the world of streaming. Action fans are in for a treat, as several iconic pop culture franchises return to reclaim their throne.
The deadliest tournament in cinema returns with Mortal Kombat II. This installment ups the ante with even more visceral fights and the addition of the charismatic Johnny Cage. Meanwhile, Disney+ breaks new ground with The Punisher: One Last Kill. This TV special delivers brutal intensity, bringing Jon Bernthal back as Marvel’s most ruthless vigilante.
But May’s lineup doesn’t end there; the action continues to expand into other territories. Guy Ritchie drags us into the “gray areas” of the law with In the Grey, a heist thriller bearing his trademark blend of speed and ingenuity. Meanwhile, the tension becomes physical and visceral in the South Korean film Colony (군체), the latest offering from director Yeon Sang-ho, who traps us in a claustrophobic setting to explore the darkest limits of human survival.
And to top it all off, the premiere of The Mandalorian and Grogu is shaping up to be the biggest event in the Star Wars franchise in years.
Whether you prefer streaming or the big-screen experience, get your popcorn ready—it’s sure to be a spectacle.
Mortal Kombat II
Where to Watch: In Theaters
Release date: Friday, May 8
Genre: Action & Martial Arts, Dark Fantasy, Gore / Horror
Rating: R (Restricted for extreme violence)
Mortal Kombat II hits theaters on May 8, and judging by early critical reactions, it’s exactly the sequel fans have been clamoring for since the 2021 reboot.
In this installment, Earth’s champions must join forces with the iconic Johnny Cage to face the shadow of Shao Kahn, whose ambition threatens to destroy our world.
This film continues the timeline established in 2021. Although the franchise had previous adaptations in 1995 and 1997, director Simon McQuoid — who returns for this sequel — has opted for a modern and visceral approach, setting it apart from the 1990s versions.
According to the official synopsis:
“Picking up the story immediately after the events of the 2021 film, Mortal Kombat II follows the champions of Earthrealm—now joined by the legendary Johnny Cage—as they are drawn into the most dangerous tournament in existence. Shao Kahn, the ruthless emperor of Outworld, has stopped playing by the rules. With his armies on the move and his warriors overwhelming Earth’s defenders, the fate of humanity rests on a group of fighters who are barely holding it together.”
Without a doubt, one of the film’s greatest strengths is the addition of Karl Urban as Johnny Cage. His portrayal of a washed-up Hollywood actor thrown into a life-or-death interdimensional tournament provides the emotional core and comic relief the franchise needed.
True to its roots, we can count on the film holding nothing back: so brace yourself for intense violence, raw language, and, of course, explicit fatalities that will leave you breathless.
The Punisher: One Last Kill
Where to Watch: Disney+
Release date: Tuesday, May 12
Genre: Action, Thriller
Rating: TV-MA (For mature audiences)
Jon Bernthal reprises his most iconic role in the TV special The Punisher: One Last Kill. This cinematic event will arrive on the Disney+ platform on May 12, just one week after the epic season finale of Daredevil: Born Again.
With a TV-MA rating, the media is already predicting that this will be one of the rawest, most violent, and darkest portrayals of the character seen to date in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
This time, Frank finally tries to hang up his weapons and find a purpose away from violence. However, in a world as brutal as his, retirement has never been a real option. Forced out of the shadows by an inescapable threat, the antihero ultimately accepts that his mission is perpetual: to punish those who deserve it. On this “final mission,” Castle once again wears the skull on his chest to remind New York’s underworld why they should fear him.
Bernthal himself has confirmed that this 60-minute special is loosely based on the legendary run by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, specifically the acclaimed Welcome Back, Frank story arc.
Beyond being a standalone story, this special is a vital piece of the Marvel puzzle: it serves as the definitive narrative bridge between the events of Born Again and the highly anticipated film Spider-Man: Brand New Day, in which it has been confirmed that the Punisher will play a major role.
In the Grey
Where to Watch: In Theaters
Release date: Friday, May 15
Genre: Action, Heist Thriller
Rating: R
Directed by Guy Ritchie and starring an explosive trio—Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Eiza González—this film follows an elite team on a high-stakes mission to recover a stolen fortune.
According to the official description:
“In The Grey follows a covert team of elite operatives who live in the global shadows, as comfortable wielding power and influence as they are automatic weapons and high explosives. When a ruthless despot steals a billion-dollar fortune, the team is sent to steal it back on what would be for anyone else a suicide mission. What begins as an impossible heist gets much worse, spiraling into an all-out war of strategy, deception and survival.”
It’s a safe bet for anyone looking for the perfect blend of military intelligence, dark humor, and action sequences in true Ritchie style.
Colony (군체)
Where to Watch: In Theaters
Release date: Thursday, May 21 (South Korea) / International Release: Summer 2026
Genre: Action, Thriller, Bio-Horror
Rating: 15+ (South Korea) / Equivalent to R-Rated
Yeon Sang-ho, the mastermind behind Train to Busan (부산행), returns with an action-horror film titled Colony (군체). This time, survival depends not only on running, but on confronting a threat that evolves by the second.
The plot follows a biotechnology professor trapped in a smart skyscraper when a rapidly mutating virus breaks out during a conference. With the building hermetically sealed by authorities, the survivors must face not only infected individuals evolving into terrifying forms, but also the despair of a hopeless situation. Amid the chaos, the struggle for survival will reveal the worst of human nature as the protagonists desperately search for a way out in a setting with no escape.
Starring Jun Ji-hyun and Ji Chang-wook, Colony promises to be the most intense experience in Korean cinema this year, combining frenetic action with the rawest body horror.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
Where to Watch: In Theaters
Release date: Friday, May 22
Genre: Action, Science Fiction, Adventure
Rating: PG-13
The Mandalorian and Grogu marks the highly anticipated return of Star Wars to the big screen, picking up the story where the third season on Disney+ left off. Directed by Jon Favreau, this film expands the “Mando-verse” on an unprecedented cinematic scale, taking us back to a galaxy far, far away.
In this new adventure, crucial to the future of the New Republic, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice Grogu face all kinds of challenges: from high-speed chases to intense duels, as well as covert missions.
With Imperial warlords still scattered across the galaxy and posing a latent threat to galactic peace, the New Republic has recruited Djarin — who now operates as an independent agent — to hunt down these remnants.
The main plot revolves around the rescue of Rotta the Hutt (Jabba’s son), who is held captive in a gladiatorial pit controlled by criminal syndicates. In exchange for this rescue, Mando and Grogu seek to obtain vital information about a target of utmost importance to halt the resurgence of the Shadow Council and the enigmatic Necromancer Project.
The cast raises the stakes with star-studded additions like Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White, cementing this “space western” as one of the most anticipated cinematic events of the year.