A slew of new exclusive content, including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion, made November a solid month for HBO Max, though December is looking to be the biggest month for the young streamer yet. Warner Bros. shocked moviegoers around the globe when revealing that Wonder Woman 1984 would be coming to HBO Max in the U.S just in time for Christmas. One of the largest industry moves post-COVID pandemic, the exclusive streaming debut of such a blockbuster marks a new era for the platform, and rumors of more titan-budget films eyeing the similar fate signal that things only go higher from here for HBO Max.
Wonder Woman 1984, for obvious reasons, will lead the HBO Max hype train in the next few weeks. Though there is still plenty of other enjoyment to be had on the service. Euphoria will be debuting its timely two-episode special, giving fans a light at the end of the tunnel in these dark times. Additionally, the notorious Steven Soderbergh will be debuting his own original film exclusive to the streamer. Known for the iconic Ocean’s trilogy, Contagion, Magic Mike, and more, this should definitely not go unnoticed. The power of a DC tentpole on one hand and the influence of one of today’s most influential filmmakers on the other. It is impossible to undersell how big of a month December is for HBO Max.
Check out the full list of titles joining HBO Max in December 2020 and more of our recommendations below. See what’s also coming to Hulu and Disney+!
Our Recs:
Wonder Woman 1984
Since its official reveal, Wonder Woman 1984 has been rescheduled a total of 5 times (yes). Something that’s becoming all too common in a post-COVID industry, fans can at least finally breathe and look forward to a definitive holiday debut. Almost everything about the sequel has been said, so it’s just time to sit back and revel in something that we deserved a long time ago. Keep eyes on the numbers though, for this film’s streaming performance (much like Mulan on Disney+) will play a key role in deciding how big-budget films land on HBO Max, if at all.
Euphoria
Update: This will now stream early on HBO Max December 4!
This is not season 2, as the poster clearly says. Some have nicknamed this two-part special as the ‘COVID episodes’. They were indeed filmed under the new COVID guidlines, and were specifically made to bridge into season 2, which was, of course, delayed due to the pandemic. This will be the first time fans see Zendaya in the leading role after her most welcome Emmy win in September. The first part, titled Trouble Don’t Last Always, will find her character dealing with the immediate events of the season 1 finale.
Let Them All Talk
Finally, it seems somewhat odd that more people aren’t talking about a new Steven Soderbergh film starring Meryl Streep of all people. Perhaps for a more niche crowd, the film follows an author who goes on a age-defining trip with her close friends. Depending on its success, this could be a possible awards contender for HBO Max but we’ll hold our breathes on that for now. It looks like a fantastic, free-going time from some of today’s most influential faces of film.
HBO Max’s Arrivals for December 2020
Coming December 1
3 Godfathers, 1949
40 Days And 40 Nights, 2002 (HBO)
Absolute Power, 1997
Adam Ruins Everything, Seasons 2-3
The Adventures of Pinocchio, 1996
Amanpour: Sex & Love Around the World, 2018
Amistad, 1997 (HBO)
Annabelle: Creation, 2017 (HBO)
The Bay, 2012 (HBO)
The Beguiled, 2017 (HBO)
Beyond Reasonable Doubt, 2017
The Bishop’s Wife, 1947
The Blind Side, (HBO)
Blow-Up, 1966
The Book Of Henry, 2017 (HBO)
Bright Young Things, 2004 (HBO)
Bundle of Joy, 1956
The Carbonaro Effect, Seasons 2-5
Chasing Life with Sanjay Gupta, 2019
Cinderella Story: If The Shoe Fits, A, 2016
Code 46, 2004 (HBO)
Comedy Knockout, 2016
Contraband, 2012 (HBO)
Crimes of the Century, 2013
The Crow, 1994 (HBO)
The Crow: City Of Angels, 1996 (HBO)
The Crow: Wicked Prayer, 2005 (HBO)
Dead Wives Club, Season 1
Death Row Stories, Seasons 1-4
De Blanco La Patuda (aka White Is For Virgins), 2020 (HBO)
Deep Blue Sea, 1999
Demolition Man, 1993
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, 2012 (HBO)
Fallen, 1998
Falling Skies, 2011
The Family Man, 2000 (HBO)
Father of the Bride, 1950
Fifty Shades Of Black, 2016 (HBO)
Final Destination, 2000
Final Destination 2, 2003
Final Destination 3, 2006
The Final Destination, 2009
Finding Jesus: Faith, Fact, Forgery, 2015
Freelancers, 2012 (HBO)
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, 1995
Free Willy 3: The Rescue, 1997
Free Willy: Escape from Pirate’s Cove, 2010
The Girl With All The Gifts, 2016 (HBO)
Gladiator, 2000
Gun Crazy, 1950
Harry And The Hendersons, 1987 (HBO)
Hell in the Heartland, 2019
Hero, 2004 (HBO)
The History of Comedy, 2017
Holiday Affair, 1949
Hot Fuzz, 2007 (HBO)
How It Really Happened, Seasons 1-4
The Human Stain, 2003 (HBO)
The Hunt with John Walsh, 2014
Inside Evil with Chris Cuomo, 2018
It Happened on Fifth Avenue, 1947
Joe Versus the Volcano, 1990
Juice, 1992
Just My Luck, 2006 (HBO)
Kung Fu Panda 2, 2011
Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks, 2018
The Last Samurai, 2003
La Unidad, 2020
Logan’s Run, 1976
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001
The Man Who Came to Dinner, 1942
Mars Attacks!, 1996
Meet Me in St. Louis, 1944
Michael Clayton, 2007
Misery, 1990 (HBO)
The Misery Index, 2013
My Dream is Yours, 1949
Nancy Drew, 2007
No Blade of Grass, 1970
Omega Man, The, 1971
On Moonlight Bay, 1951
Outbreak, 1995
Paid Off with Michael Torpey, 2018
Phantom Thread, 2017 (HBO)
Period of Adjustment, 1962
Pope: The Most Powerful Man In History, 2018
Project X, 2012 (Extended Version) (HBO)
Rachel Dratch’s Late Night Snack, 2016
The Redemption Project, 2019
Risky Business, 1983
Robots, 2005 (HBO)
Rock Of Ages, 2012 (Extended Version) (HBO)
Romance on the High Seas, 1948
Room for One More, 1952
Sanctum, 2011 (HBO)
The Sentinel, 2006 (HBO)
Sex and the City, 2008
Sex and the City 2, 2010
Shaun Of The Dead, 2004 (HBO)
The Shawshank Redemption, 1994
Shop Around the Corner, The, 1940
Snakes on a Plane, 2006
Snow White And The Huntsman, 2012 (Unrated Version) (HBO)
Something’s Killing Me, 2017
Southland, Seasons 1-5
Soylent Green, 1973
SPAWN, 1997
Stargirl, Season 1
Striptease, 1996
Susan Slept Here, 1954
Talk Show the Game Show, 2017
Tea for Two, 1950
Those Who Can’t, 2016
Three Godfathers, 1936
THX 1138, 1971
Timeline, 2003 (HBO)
Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale, 2007
Tom And Jerry: Santa’s Little Helpers, 2014
True Grit, 2010 (HBO)
Unfaithful, 2002 (HBO)
Unmasking a Killer, 2018
Very Scary People, Season 1
The Wedding Date, 2005 (HBO)
Westworld, 1973
What Bitch? (HBO)
Wrath of the Titans, 2012 (HBO)
Wrecked, 2019
Yogi Bear, 2010
Young Man with a Horn, 1949
Coming December 2
Baby God, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
Coming December 3
Full Bloom, Season Finale
Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults, HBO Max Documentary Premiere
- An intimate, four-part series that explores the infamous religious movement and the stranger-than-fiction circumstances that culminated in the biggest mass suicide to ever take place in the U.S.
Looney Tunes Cartoons,Bugs Bunny’s 24 Carrot Holiday Special Premiere
My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood, HBO Max Special Premiere
- Underwood will appear with a live orchestra and choir, performing a combination of beloved traditional favorites celebrating her faith and the spiritual nature of the holiday, as well as new original material from the highly anticipated album which was released on vinyl October 30th.
Stylish with Jenna Lyons, HBO Max Original Series Premiere
Coming December 4
Beyond the Spotlight, Season 1
Bright Now: Alien Worlds, 2020
Engineering the Future, 2020
La Leyenda Negra (HBO)
Jujutsu Kaisen (Crunchyroll Collection)
Euphoria Special, Special Episode Premiere (HBO)
- In the aftermath of being left by Jules at the train station and relapsing, the first special episode follows Rue (played by Emmy®-winner Zendaya) as she celebrates Christmas. Written and directed by series creator Sam Levinson, the episode, titled “Trouble Don’t Last Always,” also stars Colman Domingo, who appeared in season one.
Coming December 5
The Photograph, 2020 (HBO)
Coming December 6
Murder On Middle Beach, Docuseries Finale (HBO)
Coming December 7
Axios, Season Finale (HBO)
Coming December 8
40 Years A Prisoner, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
- HBO Documentary Film’s 40 Years a Prisoner chronicles the controversial 1978 Philadelphia police raid on the radical back-to-nature group MOVE and the aftermath that led to a son’s decades long fight to free his parents.
La Jauria (The Pack), Season 1
One Night in Bangkok, 2020
Coming December 9
Alabama Snake, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
- Alabama Snake, directed by Theo Love and produced by Bryan Storkel, explores the story of October 4, 1991, when a violent crime was reported in the sleepy town of Scottsboro, Alabama.
The Trial of Christine Keeler
Coming December 10
4 Blocks, Seasons 1-3
Esme & Roy, HBO Max Holiday Special Episode
Haute Dog, HBO Max Holiday Special Episode
- It’s a Winter Wonderland – but the competition isn’t heating up, it’s cooling down! Join our groomers as they get in the howl-iday spirit, unleashing festive creations on their furry friends for a shot at a holly jolly gift of $10,000.
House of Ho, HBO Max Original Series Premiere
- The multi- generational family docusoap House of Ho chronicles the daily lives of patriarch Binh Ho, matriarch Hue Ho, their daughter Judy Ho, their son Washington Ho and his wife Lesley Ho, Aunt Tina, and Cousin Sammy.
Let Them All Talk, HBO Max Original Film Premiere
- Let Them All Talk tells the story of a celebrated author (Meryl Streep) who takes a journey with some old friends (Candice Bergen and Dianne Wiest) to have some fun and heal old wounds. Her nephew (Lucas Hedges) comes along to wrangle the ladies and her literary agent (Gemma Chan) also books herself on the trip.
Summer Camp Island, Season 3 Premiere
- Season three follows best friends Oscar and Hedgehog as they have strange encounters with mystical creatures, discovering their own magical potential along the way. As Oscar and Hedgehog dive deeper into the magical community, they hear fables of friendships and discover how Susie and the witches first came to the island.
Veneno, Season Finale
Valley of Tears, Season Finale
Coming December 11
Adult Material
Midnight Family, 2020 (HBO)
One Way Or Another, Season Finale (HBO)
Coming December 12
The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
- Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Frank Marshall (“Seabiscuit”, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”), the documentary chronicles the triumphs and hurdles of brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb, otherwise known as the Bee Gees.
Coming December 15
Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel (HBO)
Coming December 16
The Art Of Political Murder, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
Coming December 17
CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute
The Flight Attendant, HBO Max Limited Series Finale
Homeschool Musical Class of 2020, HBO Max Special Premiere
- Inspired by Tony Award winning actress Laura Benanti’s (“My Fair Lady” and “She Loves Me” on Broadway, Younger, Supergirl, Nashville) online movement #SunshineSongs, in which she offered to be an audience for the students around the country whose spring musicals were cancelled because of COVID-19, this television event will give students the opportunity to sing and dance like the stars they are, from the safety of their homes.
Love Monster, Season 1-2
Sesame Street: Holiday at Hooper’s
- It’s Holiday time on Sesame Street! When their parents run late from the holiday concert, Elmo and Baby Bear stay with Alan and Nina at Hooper’s store. But they are disappointed not to celebrate Christmas Eve and Hanukkah as they had planned. Alan wonders how to make Hooper’s feel more festive. What if they make their own holiday decorations? Elmo, Baby Bear, Nina, and Alan sing carols, eat latkes, and make lots of decorations. They create a wonderful holiday celebration all by themselves—and Elmo and Baby Bear realize that the best part of holidays is being together with friends and family.
Coming December 18
Diego Torres Sinfonico, Season 1 (HBO)
Hasta Que La Boda Nos Separe (aka The Wedding Unplanner), 2020 (HBO)
Coming December 19
Wendy, 2020 (HBO)
Coming December 20
I Used To Go Here, 2020 (HBO)
Coming December 21
Industry, Season Finale (HBO)
Coming December 23
Squish, Season 1
Coming December 25
The West Wing, Season 1-7
Wonder Woman 1984
Coming December 26
Independence Day (Extended Version), 1996 (HBO)
Road Trip, Season 1
Coming December 28
His Dark Materials, Season 2 Finale (HBO)
Coming December 29
Los Dias De La Ballena (AKA The Days of the Whale) (HBO)
Coming December 31
The Champ, 1979
Conan Without Borders
Leaving HBO Max in December
As for what’s leaving HBO Max, fans should prepare for some big cuts. After all, you win some – you lose some. More notably, the service is temporarily saying goodbye to huge DC films, including the Ultimate Edition of Batman V Superman. It’s fair to assume that it will return in time for the release of the Snyder Cut of Justice League next year, but say your goodbyes for now (unless you own films physically). Also, watch The Lego Movie 2 if you haven’t already.
Leaving December 10
Lights Out, 2016 (HBO)
Leaving December 15
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, 2019 (HBO)
Leaving December 26
American Animals, 2018 (HBO)
Leaving December 27
Arizona, 2018 (HBO)
Leaving December 31
An American in Paris, 1951
Analyze This, 1999
Austin Powers In Goldmember, 2002
Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery, 1997
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, 1999
Batman & Robin, 1997
Batman Forever, 1995
Batman v Superman: Ultimate Edition, 2016
Bonnie and Clyde, 1967
Boogie Nights, 1997
Bringing Up Baby, 1938
Clash Of The Titans, 2010
Constantine, 2005
Demolition Man, 1993
Dirty Harry, 1971
Doctor Zhivago, 1965
Empire of the Sun, 1987
Friday the 13th, 2009
Free Willy, 1993
Giant, 1956
Gladiator, 2000
The Hey Arnold! The Movie, 2002
The Hobbit, 1977
Jonah Hex, 2010
La La Land, 2016 (HBO)
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life, 2003
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, 2001
The Lego Ninjago Movie, 2014
Lucy In The Sky, 2019 (HBO)
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, 2012 (HBO)
Monsters vs. Aliens, 2009
Rugrats Go Wild, 2003
