The Max streaming platform is gaining another Oscar winner next month. One of our favorite films of the year, The Zone of Interest finally has an official streaming date so you can watch it at home.
Nominated for five Oscars (including Best Picture), the A24 Holocaust-based film took home two statuettes on the big night: Best Sound and Best International Feature Film. If you've been curious about the historical drama and want to watch it for yourself, here's what you need to know.
What is The Zone of Interest about?
Loosely based on Martin Amis's 2014 novel of the same name, The Zone of Interest centers around Commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller), who live in a charming domestic oasis with their children. Meanwhile, just next door, the atrocities of Auschwitz are unfolding. The resulting film is a "a chilling portrait of complicity among atrocity," as Mashable's Shannon Connellan wrote in her review. "Essentially, Glazer's A24 film makes you sit at the table for family dinner, lounge beside the backyard pool, and celebrate birthdays, right next to the site that would become the symbol of Nazi genocide."
Read our full review of The Zone of Interest.
Here's a glimpse at Jonathan Glazer's "magnificent, yet disquieting" film in the official trailer:
When is The Zone of Interest streaming?
The Zone of Interest premiered back in May 2023 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it took home the Grand Prix and FIPRESCI Prize. Months later, it debuted in theaters in the U.S. on Dec. 15. Now, nearly a year after its initial premiere, it's coming to streaming. The film debuts on Max on April 5, 2024. Of course, it's also available to rent or purchase at digital retailers (more on that below).
Is there a Max free trial?
There's currently no active Max free trial on Max directly or through third-parties like Prime Video or Hulu. However, the Prime Video Max add-on had an active seven-day free trial just days before writing this. Keep an eye out, as the free trials tend to pop up sporadically — and disappear just as quickly.
The best Max streaming deals
Best limited-time deal: Save over 40% on an annual plan
Through April 9, you can save over 40% on Max's annual plans. The Max with ads yearly subscription is usually $99.99, but with this limited-time deal, you'll only pay $69.99 (or $5.83/month). Max Ad-Free is down to $104.99 from $149.99, saving you 45% and knocking the price down $8.75 per month. The highest tier, Max Ultimate, is just $139.99 (reg. $199.99) during the promotional period. That's 42% in savings and breaks down to just $11.67 per month.
Best Max deal for Cricket customers: Free Max with ads for customers on the $60/month unlimited plan
If you're a Cricket Wireless customer on the $60 per month unlimited plan, congrats. You get Max With Ads for free as long as your account remains in good standing. Head over to the Max app or navigate to Max on a browser, then choose Cricket as your provider. Your Cricket credentials will unlock full access to Max With Ads, which is typically a $99.99 per year value. If you're a Cricket customer, but on a different plan, you can upgrade or switch over to secure the deal. Check out the terms and conditions on Cricket's website to learn more.
What are the different Max subscription tiers?
Formerly HBO Max, the Max streaming service offers three different subscription tiers: With Ads, Ad-Free, and Ultimate Ad-Free. The most affordable option is Max With Ads, which will run you $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (unless you take advantage of the limited-time deal above). The Ad-Free tier eliminates ads during your viewing experience and allows you 30 downloads on the go for $15.99 per month or $149.99 per year. And finally, the Ultimate Ad-Free tier offers an ad-less viewing experience, as well as 4K Ultra HD video quality, Dolby Atmos immersive audio, and 100 downloads to watch on the go for $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year.
Other ways to watch The Zone of Interest
Thanks to video-on-demand services like Prime Video or Apple TV+, you can also rent or purchase the digital version of The Zone of Interest and avoid having to sign up for yet another streaming service. Renting is the cheapest option, but just note that you'll only get 30 days of access and just 48 hours to finish watching once you begin. If you don't like limitations and would rather watch The Zone of Interest on your own timeline, we recommend purchasing it for your digital library instead.
You can rent or purchase The Zone of Interest on demand at the following digital retailers:
Prime Video — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to purchase
Apple TV — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to purchase
Fandango at Home — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to purchase
YouTube — $4.99 to rent, $19.99 to purchase
Google Play — $4.99 to rent, $19.99 to purchase
Topics HBO Streaming How to Watch
