With the launch of HBO Max comes one of the most comprehensive streaming content libraries available. From a long list of new and old TV shows to a surprisingly large selection of movies that span Hollywood’s history, there is plenty to watch.
While the service isn’t perfect, as pointed out in our breakdown and review of HBO Max, there is a lot to love about the new offering. However, with so much content to sift through, it’s hard to know where to start. We have a solution to that problem.
After digging through all of the movies HBO Max has to offer, we’ve come up with the 22 best films and franchises you can stream on day one. From beloved movies like Die Hard to older series you should definitely set time aside to revisit, like the Police Academy movies, there’s something for everyone.
So what are you waiting for? Take a look at our HBO Max movie recommendations below. If you’re looking to get a bit more specific, also make sure to check out our horror movie picks for the service.
And speaking of things you should be watching, consider listening to GameSpot’s weekly TV series and movies-focused podcast, You Should Be Watching. With new episodes premiering every Wednesday, you can watch a video version of the podcast over on GameSpot Universe or listen to audio versions on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, and Apple Podcasts.
1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick’s iconic sci-fi film made a deep cultural impact when it hit theaters in 1968. It realistically depicted space travel, was a visual effects pioneer, and introduced a truly scary monster–the HAL 9000 sentient computer. If you have never seen 2001, do yourself a favor and give it a shot. It’s a very long movie, but worth the investment.
2. A Nightmare on Elm Street series
If you’re looking for scares, HBO Max has plenty. Most notably, the service is launching with every single Freddy Krueger movie–from the original A Nightmare on Elm Street to that terrible remake. Watch them all through Freddy vs. Jason, then skip the reboot for a wonderful viewing experience.
3. Jason X
Yes, the Friday the 13th franchise got bad. Yes, this isn’t one of the best entries. Jason X is worth your time, though. After all, it sends Jason Voorhees to space. It’s hard to believe what started as a mother seeking revenge on camp counselors for the death of her son somehow evolved to an unkillable space monster, but it did.
4. The DC movies
There are so many movies based on DC Comics properties, and many of them are available on HBO Max. You’ll be able to watch everything from Tim Burton’s original Batman film to Justice League–and eventually a new cut of the movie that Zack Snyder is putting together. So if you are in need of some classic DC superheroes, this is your destination. Still, there are some glaring omissions. The original Superman films are nowhere to be found, along with Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies.
5. Police Academy series
If you somehow haven’t watched these silly movies about a bunch of police trainees yet, you’re in luck. All seven entries in the franchise are streaming. By the time you get to the final two entries–City Under Siege and Mission to Moscow–the quality starts dropping quickly. Still, these are fun movies.
6. Gremlins series
Both Gremlins movies are available at launch, in case you want to find out what happens if you feed a mogwai after midnight or get it wet. Both movies should be considered essential viewing for any fan of ’80s pop culture. What’s more, they couldn’t be any more different. While the first is legitimately scary, Gremlins 2 adds a dose of zaniness that is more than welcome. Not sure what we’re talking about? This Key & Peele sketch will enlighten you.
7. Lethal Weapon series
Supposedly, a fifth Lethal Weapon movie is going to happen one day. That’s not necessary now, though. The four existing movies in the buddy cop franchise are all streaming on HBO Max, which you can watch in the comfort of your own home. If you enjoy sassy saxophone music as a transition between scenes, consider it your lucky day.
8. Godzilla series
There are so many classic Godzilla movies on HBO Max, pitting the monstrous lizard against a wide variety of rival kaiju, including Hedorah, MechaGodzilla, and Mothra. If you’re looking for something a bit more modern, there’s also 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
9. Alien series
The Alien movies remain beloved–at least some of them do. Thankfully, the best of them are on HBO Max, including Ridley Scott’s original film Alien. Also available are Aliens, Alien 3, Alien: Resurrection, and, just because, AVP: Alien vs. Predator.
10. Apocalypse Now
Francis Ford Coppola’s epic war drama, which is set during the Vietnam War, has been hailed as one of the greatest films of all time. If you haven’t seen it before, now is the time.
11. The Mighty Ducks series
You might be expecting the Mighty Ducks movies to be on Disney+ because they’re Disney movies. That’s not the case. All three films in the hockey franchise are on HBO Max and waiting for you to watch and quack along.
12. Hackers
Hackers is perfect and anyone who disagrees is not your friend. The 1995 movie stars a young Angelina Jolie and doesn’t seem to know, exactly, what hacking a computer actually entails. That’s part of the movie’s charm, as it reimagines teen computer hackers as low-grade action heroes waging a war against an evil hacker that’s framing them for terrorism–no seriously, they’re being framed for overturning oil tankers via hacking.
13. True Lies
When director James Cameron and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger reunited after the incredibly successful Terminator 2: Judgement Day, who could have guessed it’d be in an action-comedy? True Lies stands out as one of Cameron’s best films, featuring Schwarzenegger as a secret agent masquerading as a computer salesman. This movie is seriously funny, thanks in large part to co-star Jamie Lee Curtis delivering some of her best work, and is ready to be found by a new generation.
14. Die Hard trilogy
You’ve seen Die Hard. You’ve, honestly, probably seen every movie in the franchise, including the dreaded A Good Day to Die Hard. Luckily, HBO Max only has the first three movies–Die Hard through Die Hard with a Vengeance. So go watch those and forget that parts 4 and 5 exist.
15. Fight Club
This David Fincher classic remains incredibly entertaining as you watch Edward Norton and Brad Pitt’s characters descend into madness as they start a club with the sole intention of beating people up (and making soap, and also, possibly, tearing down society) to work out their aggressions.
16. Dick Tracy
This is another Disney movie missing from the Disney+ platform. That’s okay, though, because it is streaming on HBO Max. Dick Tracy is one of the most visually striking comic book movies ever made, and with Warren Beatty as the titular detective in a yellow trench coat, this is a film that deserves to be revered.
17. Harry Potter series
Want to watch a Harry Potter movie? This is the place for you. All eight films in the original series are available to stream. Additionally, Fantastic Beasts and the Crimes of Grindelwald are also available.
18. Jaws
There is exactly one good Jaws movie, and it’s on HBO Max. If you’re a glutton for punishment, the other three movies are also there. But why would you do that to yourself when you can watch a perfect shark movie then move on?
19. Studio Ghibli collection
No, this isn’t a movie–it’s an entire movie studio. Every Studio Ghibli feature film is available to stream on HBO Max, from 1986’s Castle in the Sky through 2014’s When Marnie Was There.
20. Ready or Not
If you missed this horror movie when it hit theaters in 2019, you can fix that grave mistake now. It’s one of the more inventive thrillers in recent memory and the directors have signed on to make the next entry in the Scream franchise, so it’s time to get familiar with them.
21. Ready to Rumble
Ready to Rumble is not a good movie. In fact, it’s actually a terrible movie. If you’re a professional wrestling fan, though, it’s essential viewing. Made in the latter days of World Championship Wrestling’s existence, several WCW wrestlers made it to the big screen in this film about a man who cleans out port-a-potties (David Arquette) dreaming of becoming a pro wrestling star. It’s filled with low-grade humor and laughable performances, and to promote it, WCW made Arquette its actual World Champion for a period of time. This movie is a colossal blunder on every level and has to be seen to be believed.
22. The Wizard
Lastly, there’s The Wizard. This movie is a commercial for Nintendo products and doesn’t even try to hide it. Fred Savage plays a kid who takes his little brother on a cross-country adventure to play in a Nintendo competition. This film introduced Super Mario Bros. 3 to the world and it spent a bunch of time making the Power Glove look cool (it wasn’t). The Wizard is pure ’80s fun.
