HBO Max is aiming to pack some scares this October. All of the top streaming services are kicking their ‘spooky’ content into overdrive and for a platform that is only a few months old, HBO Max isn’t doing too bad. October’s selections include a mix of classic and modern horror. Whether you’re in the mood for icons like the Mummy and Dracula or from something more modern, HBO Max has it.
For something particular on the modern side, check out The Hill Have Eyes and Open Water duologies new to the service. Jordan Peele’s Us and David Cronenberg’s Scanners will fill your appetite for classics of new and old. Not a straight up horror, but David Fincher’s Se7en is horrifying and a must-watch. HBO’s most talked about running series, Lovecraft Country, is also coming to an end (for now). The season finale airs mid-October and seeing how greatly its resonated with audiences, it would not be surprising to see it return. Though it would have to continue a story from the one novel it takes its title from. Game of Thrones did it, so this wouldn’t be new for HBO.
in addition, HBO Max is prioritizing on its political-driven content leading up to the U.S presidential election in November. There is a slew of documentaries joining the service (including the fantastic John Lewis: Good Trouble), but only on HBO Max will you be able to see the upcoming reunion special of The West Wing. The times are extremely tough as it is, and for those ready to vote and looking for more escapism, more of our recommendations are below. See what’s also coming to Netflix and Hulu this October!
Our Recs:
Charm City Kings
This 2020 Sundance gem is finally reaching large audiences. A fantastic festival get for HBO Max, Charm City Kings tells the story of unhinged youth on the summertime Baltimore streets. How does build cred in the urban dirt-biker scene? A group of aspiring teens lead by Jahi Di’Allo Winston (Queen & Slim) seek to find out. This film also marks the feature acting debut of famed rapper Meek Mill.
Equal
HBO Max has continued to expand its spotlight on the LGBTQ+ community, and Equal is not to miss. A 4-part docuseries that traces numerous trailblazers over the decades, this couldn’t be more timely. Some of these heroes in the fight for queer rights have gone unsung for too long. Perhaps their stories of yesterday can shed light on the next steps of today.
David Byrne’s American Utopia
The second Spike Lee Joint to grace 2020, David Byrne’s hit Broadway show is finally making its way into the homes of thousands of fans. The all-time musician’s latest venture is nothing short of spellbinding, and through the lens of Spike Lee, the possibilities for a filmed performance are tremendous.
HBO Max’s Arrivals for October 2020
Exact Dates TBD
Gomorrah, Seasons 1 & 2 (Dubbed & Subtitled) The Monster at the end of this Story, HBO Max Original Premiere
Coming October 1
A World of Calm, Documentary Series Premiere
Akeelah And The Bee, 2006 (HBO)
All-Star Superman, 2011
American Dynasties: The Kennedys, 2018
American Reunion, 2012 (HBO)
Analyze That, 2002
Analyze This, 1999
The Angriest Man In Brooklyn, 2014 (HBO)
Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery, 1997
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, 1999
Ball of Fire, 1941
Beavis And Butt-Head Do America, 1996 (HBO)
Beef (HBO)
Beginners, 2011 (HBO)
Best in Show, 2000
BLOW, 2001
Bombshell, 1933
Boogie Nights, 1997
Boomerang, 1992
The Bush Years: Family. Duty. Power., 2019
The Butterfly Effect, 2004
Cats & Dogs, 2001
Catwoman, 2004
Cellular, 2004
Cheech & Chong’s Up In Smoke, 1978
The Chronicles Of Riddick, 2004 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
City Slickers 2: The Legend of Curly’s Gold, 1994
Clean and Sober, 1988
The Client, 1994
Collateral Beauty, 2016 (HBO)
The Color Purple, 1985
Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind, 2003 (HBO)
Constantine, 2005
Cradle 2 the Grave, 2003
Critters 2, 1988
Critters 4, 1992
The Curse of Frankenstein, 1957
Day Of The Dead, 1985 (HBO)
Death Sentence, 2007 (Extended Version) (HBO)
Deerskin, 2020 (HBO)
Dirty Dancing, 1987 (HBO)
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, 2004 (HBO)
Deliverance, 1972
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, 1969
Dreamcatcher, 2003
Edge of Darkness, 2010
Empire of the Sun, 1987
The End: Inside The Last Days of the Obama White House, 2017
Endings, Beginnings, 2020 (HBO)
Enter The Dragon, 1973
Eraser, 1996
Firewall, 2006
Frantic, 1988
Frequency, 2000 (HBO)
Friday, 1995
The Friday After Next, 2002
Galaxy Quest, 1999
The Golden Compass, 2007
Gothika, 2003
Grudge Match, 2013 (HBO)
Hairspray, 1988
Hairspray (Musical Remake), 2007
Harina (Aka Flour) (HBO)
The Haunting, 1999
The Hills Have Eyes, 2006 (Extended Version) (HBO)
The Hills Have Eyes II, 2007 (Extended Version) (HBO)
Horror of Dracula, 1958
The Hunting Ground, 2015
I Am Sam, 2002
Infamous, 2006
The Informer, 1935
The Invisible War, 2012
Jonah Hex, 2010
The Last Kiss, 2006 (HBO)
The Last Mimzy, 2007
Laws of Attraction, 2004
Lethal Weapon, 1987
Lethal Weapon 2, 1989
Lethal Weapon 3, 1992
Lethal Weapon 4, 1998
Libeled Lady, 1936
Life as We Know It, 2010
Little Baby Bum, 2011
Little Big League, 1994
Madea’s Big Happy Family, 2011
Malcolm X, 1992
Man of Steel, 2013
Marie: A True Story, 1985
The Matrix Reloaded, 2003
The Matrix Revolutions, 2003
The Matrix, 1999
Million Dollar Baby, 2004
Miracle of Morgan’s Creek, 1944
Mister Roberts, 1955
Monsters Vs. Aliens, 2009
The Mummy, 1959
Mutiny on the Bounty, 1935
Next Friday, 2000
Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always, 2020 (HBO)
Nothing Sacred, 1937
Open Water, 2004 (HBO)
Open Water 2: Adrift, 2007 (HBO)
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, 2013
The Pelican Brief, 1993
A Perfect Murder, 1998
The Perfect Storm, 2000
The Phantom of the Opera, 2004
Presumed Innocent, 1990
Race for the White House, Season 1
Raised By Wolves, Season 1 Finale
Revolutionary Road, 2008 (HBO)
Roger & Me, 1989
Sands of Iwo Jima, 1950
Scanners, 1981 (HBO)
Scooby-Doo! Haunted Holidays, 2012
Se7en, 1995
Semi-Pro, 2008
Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird, 1985
Shame, 2011 (HBO)
Sherlock Holmes, 2009
Sleight, 2017 (HBO)
Son of Batman, 2014
South Park: The Pandemic Special
Steel, 1997
Superman vs. the Elite, 2012
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, 2010
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, 2009
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 1990
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, 1991
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3, 1993
They Were Expendable, 1945
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, 1996
The Thin Man, 1934
The Thing, 2011 (HBO)
A Time to Kill, 1996
Tin Cup, 1996
TMNT, 2007
Training Day, 2001
Tricky Dick, 2019
Turistas, 2006 (Extended Version) (HBO)
U.S. Marshals, 1998
Us, 2019 (HBO)
Vampire in Brooklyn, 1995
A Very Brady Sequel, 1996
We Will Rise: Michelle Obama’s Mission to Educate Girls Around the World, 2016
What You Gonna Do When the World’s on Fire?, 2018
When Harry Met Sally, 1989
Where the Wild Things Are, 2009
The Whole Ten Yards, 2004 (HBO)
The Wings of Eagles, 1957
You’ve Got Mail, 1998
Coming October 2
Lina From Lima (HBO)
Coming October 3
The ABCs of Back to School: A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Families, 2020
Downhill, 2020 (HBO)
Coming October 6
Siempre, Luis, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
Coming October 7
Wild Card: The Downfall Of A Radio Loudmouth (HBO)
Coming October 8
Charm City Kings, HBO Max Original Film Premiere
The Fungies, Season 1B
The God of High School (Dubbed)
Coming October 9
Entre Nos Presents: Shayla Rivera: It’s Not Rocket Science (HBO)
Room 104, Series Finale (HBO)
Coming October 10
Cats, 2019 (HBO)
Coming October 12
Ghosts, Season 2
Coming October 15
Detention Adventure, Season 2
A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote, HBO Max Original Premiere
Coming October 16
La Odisea De Los Giles (Aka Heroic Losers) (HBO)
The Perfect Weapon, Documentary Special Premiere (HBO)
Coming October 17
David Byrne’s American Utopia, Special Event Premiere (HBO)
Coming October 18
Lovecraft Country, Season Finale (HBO)
The Vow, Docuseries Finale (HBO)
Coming October 20
Smurfs, Season 3
Coming October 21
537 Votes, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
Coming October 22
Equal, HBO Max Original Docu Series Premiere
Coming October 23
How To With John Wilson, Season 1 Premiere (HBO Original)
Coming October 24
Emma, 2020 (HBO)
Coming October 25
The Undoing, Limited Series Premiere (HBO)
Coming October 27
Ghosts, Season 2
It: Chapter Two, 2017 (HBO)
John Lewis: Good Trouble, 2020
The Soul Of America, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
Coming October 28
Burning Ojai: Our Fire Story (HBO)
Coming October 29
Vida Perfecta, Season 1
Coming October 30
Mano De Obra (Aka Workforce) (HBO)
Coming October 31
Black Christmas, 2019 (HBO)
Leaving HBO Max in October
HBO Max subscribers have probably already gotten used to its revolving library. The same continues for October; fans can celebrate the various DC content that joins (notably 2013’s Man of Steel), but at the cost of saying goodbye to an equal slew of titles. Besides the departing DC titles, hits like The Nice Guys, The Conjuring 2, and Star Trek are also leaving. Already seen those enough times? Then watch Raising Arizona and Gremlins 2: The New Batch before they leave at all costs.
Leaving October 8
The Nice Guys, 2016 (HBO)
Leaving October 11
Fantastic Beasts: The Crime of Grindelwald, 2018 (HBO)
Leaving October 20
The Conjuring 2, 2016 (HBO)
Leaving October 31
A Cinderella Story, 2004
A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song, 2011
A Very Brady Sequel, 1996
Amelie, 2001 (HBO)
American History X, 1998
Barefoot in the Park, 1967
Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker, 2000
Batman vs. Robin, 2015
Batman: Gotham Knight, 2008
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1, 2012
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 2, 2013
Beautiful Creatures, 2013
Blade Runner: The Final Cut, 2007
Blood Diamond, 2006
Cop Out, 2010
Crazy, Stupid, Love, 2011 (HBO)
Dangerous Liaisons, 1988
DEVIL, 2010 (HBO)
Driving Miss Daisy, 1989
El Norte, 1984 (HBO)
Green Lantern (2011)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch, 1990
Home Alone, 1990 (HBO)
House Party, 1990
Kung Fu Panda 2, 2011
Kung Fu Panda, 2008
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2003
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, 2002
Ocean’s Eleven, 2001
Paul (Extended Version), 2011 (HBO)
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, 1987
Raising Arizona, 1987 (HBO)
Serendipity, 2001
Soldier, 1998
Spies Like Us, 1985
Star Trek, 2009
Swing Time, 1936
The Adventures of Pinocchio, 1996
The First Wives Club, 1996
The Others, 2001 (HBO)
The Outsiders, 1983
The Replacements, 2000
This Means War (Extended Version), 2012 (HBO)
Three Kings, 1999
Top Hat, 1935
V for Vendetta, 2006
Woodstock (Director’s Cut), 1994
Yesterday, 2019 (HBO)
