Apr 30, 2021

Animated films and series to appear on Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max in 2021/5

Welcome to our monthly guide to streaming animation.

We've rounded up the shows and films - new and old alike - coming to Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max in May (in the U.S.). Fully animated and hybrid titles are included, as are documentaries about subjects related to animation.

Check out our three picks of the month, then scroll on down for the full list.

Adventure Time: Distant Lands - Together Again. The Land of Ooo has been annexed by HBO Max, which (in the U.S.) exclusively premieres the hour-long Adventure Time specials known as Distant Lands. This, the third special of four, reunites Jake the dog and Finn the human for “the adventure of their lifetimes.” (HBO Max, May 20)

Love, Death & Robots. Netflix's Emmy-winning anthology series of sci-fi shorts is back, with a new grab bag of stories, styles, and filmmakers. We don't yet know much about the contents of volume two but, judging by the trailer below, the uncanny valley features prominently. Jennifer Yuh Nelson (Kung Fu Panda 2, 3) joins series creator Tim Miller as supervising director. (Netflix, May 14)

Star Wars: The Bad Batch. Dave Filoni, a supervising director on Cartoon Network's Star Wars: The Clone Wars, has created a spin-off that follows the exploits of clone troopers from the original series. “It's very much in the vein of Clone Wars,” promises Filoni. The first episode drops on May the Fourth (naturally), with a new one premiering every Friday thereafter. (Disney+, from May 4)

Images at top, left to right: “Star Wars: The Bad Batch,” “Adventure Time: Distant Lands - Together Again,” “Love, Death & Robots”