The Best HBO Max Original Movies

Jason Bancroft
Updated April 27, 2024 18 items

The best original movies on HBO Max span across all genres. There are hilarious comedies like Seth Rogen's An American Pickle alongside thought provoking dramas such as The Fallout. Needless to say, it's going to be hard to choose the best HBO Max original movie with esteemed actors and actress in lead roles like Meryl Streep, Don Cheadle, and Benicio del Toro. Along those same lines, Steven Soderbergh fans will be delighted to see that he directed several films on this list including Kimi, starring  Zoë Kravitz. But which of these HBO Max original movies will take the number one spot? Maybe Zack Snyder's Justice League did enough to overcome the poor reception of the theatrical cut to rise to the top of this list. It all comes down to your votes.

Vote up your favorite movies and be sure to check back as upcoming and new HBO Max original movies are added to the list once they are released.

Latest additions: Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, Oprah and the Color Purple Journey, Time Bomb Y2K
Help shape these rankings by voting on this list of The Best HBO Max Original Movies
  • Zack Snyder's Justice League
    1

    Zack Snyder's Justice League

    Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill
    17 votes
    Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists newfound ally Diana Prince to face an even greater threat. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to recruit a team to stand against this newly awakened enemy. Despite the formation of an unprecedented league of heroes -- Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and the Flash -- it may be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
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  • The Fallout
    2

    The Fallout

    Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Niles Fitch
    8 votes
    The Fallout is a sensitive and poignant drama that delves into the aftermath of a school tragedy. The focus is on high school student Vada (Jenna Ortega), as she grapples with the emotional trauma following a school shooting. Alongside Vada is her friend Mia (Maddie Ziegler), and the two navigate the complicated waters of grief, survivor's guilt, and the journey of healing in the wake of profound loss. The film, directed by Megan Park in her directorial debut, has been lauded for its honest portrayal of young people dealing with contemporary issues and received the Grand Jury Prize at the SXSW Film Festival.
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  • Unpregnant
    3

    Unpregnant

    Haley Lu Richardson, Barbie Ferreira, Giancarlo Esposito
    13 votes
    Unpregnant is a 2020 American female buddy road film written and directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg, based on the novel by Ted Caplan and Jenni Hendriks. Pregnant Missouri teenager (Haley Lu Richardson) discovers she can't get an abortion in her home state and convinces a friend (Barbie Ferreira) to accompany her on a road trip with her to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
  • No Sudden Move
    4

    No Sudden Move

    Don Cheadle, Benicio del Toro, David Harbour
    16 votes
    In 1954 Detroit, small-time criminals are hired to steal a document. When their heist goes horribly wrong, their search for who hired them -- and for what purpose - sends them wending through all echelons of the race-torn, rapidly changing city.
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  • 8-Bit Christmas
    5

    8-Bit Christmas

    Neil Patrick Harris, Winslow Fegley, June Diane Raphael
    10 votes
    8-Bit Christmas is a nostalgic family comedy set in the late 1980s, following the quest of ten-year-old Jake Doyle (Winslow Fegley), to obtain the ultimate Christmas gift: the latest and greatest video game system. Narrated by an adult Jake (Neil Patrick Harris), the film humorously captures the era's video game craze from a child's perspective. As young Jake embarks on a series of misadventures and schemes to secure the coveted gaming console. The story unfolds with warmth and wit, offering a trip down memory lane for those who remember the decade fondly.
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  • Kimi
    6

    Kimi

    Zoë Kravitz, Byron Bowers, Rita Wilson
    20 votes
    Kimi is a tech-driven thriller set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the film follows Angela Childs (Zoë Kravitz), an agoraphobic tech worker who discovers evidence of a violent crime while reviewing a data stream. The plot thickens as Angela's attempts to report the incident are met with resistance, leading her to confront her fears and venture into the outside world. The film examines the psychological impacts of isolation, with themes of surveillance and privacy. As Angela delves deeper into the mystery, she grapples with corporate indifference and her anxieties in a society increasingly reliant on digital connections.
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  • The Witches
    7

    The Witches

    Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci
    15 votes
    The Witches is a 2020 American dark fantasy horror comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis, based on the novel by Roald Dahl. A little boy stumbles across a conference of witches while staying with his grandmother at a hotel, and gets transformed into a mouse by the Grand High Witch (Anne Hathaway).
  • Superintelligence
    8

    Superintelligence

    Melissa McCarthy, Bobby Cannavale, Brian Tyree Henry
    7 votes
    When a powerful superintelligence chooses to study Carol, the most average person on Earth, the fate of the world hangs in the balance. As the AI decides whether to enslave, save or destroy humanity, it's up to Carol to prove people are worth saving.
  • Father of the Bride
    9

    Father of the Bride

    Andy Garcia, Gloria Estefan, Adria Arjona
    7 votes
    The 2022 rendition of Father of the Bride features a new take on the story of paternal angst in the face of his daughter's impending wedding. Overprotective father Billy (Andy Garcia steps) struggles with the fast-paced changes disrupting the traditional Cuban-American family dynamic he cherishes. As his cherished daughter Sofia (Adria Arjona), announces her unexpected engagement and plans for a swift wedding, Billy must come to terms with letting go, the cultural adaptation symbolized by marriage, and the evolving definitions of love and family. This heartfelt comedy shines a light on themes of acceptance and change.
  • Locked Down
    10

    Locked Down

    Anne Hathaway, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ben Stiller
    6 votes
    Just as they decide to separate, Linda and Paxton find life has other plans when they are stuck at home in a mandatory lockdown. Co-habitation is proving to be a challenge, but it will bring them closer together in the most surprising way.
  • The Survivor
    11

    The Survivor

    Ben Foster, Peter Sarsgaard, John Leguizamo
    9 votes
    The Survivor is a harrowing historical drama centered on the true story of Harry Haft (Ben Foster), a Jewish boxer who fought to survive in the concentration camps of World War II. After being forced to box for the entertainment of Nazi officers, Haft later seeks redemption and closure by attempting to find his lost love through a high-profile fight against Rocky Marciano. The film grapples with profound themes of survival, guilt, and the search for personal redemption. While The Survivor didn't make a prominent showing on the awards circuit, it remains a potent testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unspeakable horrors.
  • An American Pickle
    12

    An American Pickle

    Seth Rogen, Sarah Snook, Jorma Taccone
    7 votes
    An American Pickle is a 2020 American comedy-drama film directed by Brandon Trost. In 1920, struggling Ashkenazi laborer, Herschel Greenbaum (Seth Rogen), falls into a vat of pickle brine and comes out 100 years later to meet his great-grandson, Ben Greenbaum (Seth Rogen).
  • Moonshot
    13

    Moonshot

    Zach Braff, Cole Sprouse, Mason Gooding
    5 votes
    Moonshot embraces the romantic comedy genre with a sci-fi twist, catapulting its adventure into space. The plot orbits around college students Sophie (Lana Condor) and Walt (Cole Sprouse) who board a space shuttle to reach their significant others on Mars. In an unexpected turn, the pair find themselves on a cosmic journey that tests their intentions and sparks a unique connection. This charming interstellar tale explores themes of love, destiny, and the lengths we go for relationships.
  • Let Them All Talk
    14

    Let Them All Talk

    Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen, Lucas Hedges
    4 votes
    Let Them All Talk is a 2020 American comedy-drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh. An author goes on a trip with her friends and nephew in an effort to find fun and come to terms with her past.
  • Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
    15
    A look at the life of poet Nikki Giovanni and the revolutionary periods in which she wrote, from the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter.
  • Oprah and the Color Purple Journey
    16
    Behind the scenes of the movie.
  • Time Bomb Y2K
    17
    Rumors spread about a bug that will cause computers worldwide to reset as 1999 becomes 2000. Mass hysteria follows, changing the fabric of modern society.
  • Charm City Kings
    18

    Charm City Kings

    Teyonah Parris, Jahi Di'Allo Winston, William Catlett
    3 votes
    Charm City Kings is a 2020 American drama film directed by Angel Manuel Soto, adapted from the documentary 12 O'Clock Boys.
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