Paramount+ will start May off strong with a slew of new and old titles for subscribers to enjoy during their summer vacations. The platform has yet to garner the same popularity as Netflix, but its growing variety of entertainment could turn Paramount+ into a surprisingly well-equipped competitor. The streaming service is home to popular dramas like Yellowstone, kid cartoons like The Fairly Oddparents, and creative reality and game shows like The Challenge.

Indie Wire reported that Paramount+ had 56 million paid subscribers at the end of 2021, and the platform was expected to grow another 100 million in 2022. Still, with an always-evolving list of available titles, it can be difficult to keep track of what to watch. Whether you are a current subscriber or are thinking about joining, here are some of the best things to watch on Paramount+ in May.

9 Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Paramount Pictures

Matthew Broderick plays the master escape artist, Ferris Buller, in this 80s classic. Ferris Bueller's Day Off centers around Ferris and his friends as they enjoy the streets of New York when they are supposed to be in school. This film has stood the test of time and still holds up today because of its relatable (although exaggerated) characters. Ferris' troublemaking attitude rings true for audiences today just as much as it did in 40 years ago, as does the anxiety of his best friend. Other movies and mediums in pop culture still reference Ferris Bueller's Day Off. For those who love 80s classics like this one, Footloose will become available on Paramount+ on the same day, May 2.

Related: Paramount+ Reveals Trailer for Live-Action Fairly OddParents Sequel Series

8 Saving Private Ryan

The cast waits on a boat to dock in Normandy in Saving Private Ryan
DreamWorks Pictures

Tom Hanks stars in this inspirational but heavy war film about a group of US solders that go behind enemy lines to save a paratrooper. This film showcases important tragedies and acts of heroism during war, and director Steven Spielberg won a deserved Oscar for his work. Saving Private Ryan teaches its viewers the meaning of sacrifice, heroism and other lessons learned during WWII. Paired with a beautiful score and breathtaking cinematography, Saving Private Ryan is the perfect choice for a serious or meaningful movie night.

7 Mean Girls

The Plastics in Mean Girls, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, and Amanda Seyfried
Paramount Pictures

This hilariously evil yet innocently sweet chick flick epitomizes high school life and being a teenager in the early 2000s. Mean Girls follows Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) as she navigates moving to a new high school. Unfortunately for her, but fortunately for us, Cady quickly becomes wrapped up in the drama of the school's most popular clique. For many, this film stands as a nostalgic coming of age story, and for others it's an enjoyable romantic comedy. Mean Girls was so popular a musical spinoff of the film hit Broadways in 2018.

6 The Fifth Element

Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich in The Fifth Element
Buena Vista Internationa

Although the special effects have aged since the film's debut, the story paired with fast-paced and inventive action sequences will still please any science-fiction fan. The Fifth Element takes place in the distant future where the ultimate evil seeks to wipe out all life on Earth. When Leeloo falls into Korban Dallas' car, Korban is suddenly thrown into a high-stakes mission to reunite her with the other four elements in order to save the world. This movie is loved for its relatable humor and the creative premise and, while dated, is still visually wild.

5 (500) Days of Summer

500 Days of Summer
Searchlight Pictures

This classic boy meats girl story is a favorite for many. (500) Days of Summer will become available to stream on Paramount+ starting on May 3rd. The story follows Tom as he tries to win over the girl of his dreams, Summer. It sounds like an average romantic comedy, yet proves to be anything but. We love this movie for its witty writing, innovative editing, and heart-felt acting by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.

4 Mission Impossible

Tom Cruise on a motorcycle chase with explosions behind him in Mission Impossible
Paramount Pictures

Not only will the original Mission Impossible movie become available to stream on Paramount+, but the platform will also gain Mission Impossible II and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Many of us are eagerly awaiting more Mission Impossible movies, since the seventh and eighth installments' release dates have been pushed all the way to 2023 and 2024. In the meantime, we will have to settle for re-watching our favorites, like the movie that started it all. These movies are also becoming available to watch just in time to binge Cruise's best movies before he reappears in Top Gun: Maverick this summer.

3 The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence

Jimmy Stewart points a gun alongside John Wayne in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence
Paramount Pictures

Paramount+ has a treasure trove of cinema classics, and on May 16, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence will join the mix. This is a western about love, democracy, and outlaws, with two of the greatest western stars of all time (John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart in incredible performances) set at the forefront. As an outlaw terrorizes town, a new and optimistic lawyer disagrees with town's well-known sheriff about how to uphold the law, in this late-period John Ford film which marked the end of an era. Paint Your Wagon, another western from the 60s (this time starring Clint Eastwood), will also become available on Paramount+ starting in May.

2 Galaxy Quest

Galaxy Quest cast on TV looking offscreen
DreamWorks Pictures

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is one of the most highly anticipated shows to hit Paramount+ in May, but this excellent parody can also satisfy the Trekkie within all of us. When the starring cast of the TV show Galaxy Quest (loosely based on Star Trek) finds out that an alien species has replicated the TV show's technology, the cast embarks on an adventure bigger than anything they experienced on screen. The actors must develop new talents and embody their TV characters to help this struggling species avoid distinction.

Related: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Plot, Cast, and Everything Else We Know

This movie manages to poke fun at the old franchise in a light-hearted and non-offensive way. The variety of relatable characters (played by a great mix of actors having a blast, like Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell) mixed with sci-fi tropes makes Galaxy Quest a timeless cult classic.

1 The Offer

The Offer streaming on Paramount+
Paramount+

The Offer, a Paramount+ original celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Godfather. The ten-part, stand-alone miniseries explores the challenges and triumphs during production of one of the world's most famous movies. Some early reviews criticize the overly self-celebratory and obvious symbolism in the series, while others enjoy the nods to the old movie and a glimpse into its production. The Godfather and The Godfather Part two will also be available to steam on the platform for those who need a refresher before jumping into the behind-the-scenes story.