Top 10 HBO Max Shows & Movies You Must Watch in 2025

HBO Max continues its tradition of premium storytelling in 2025 with an exceptional lineup of series and films. From the highly anticipated The Last of Us Season 2 to the exotic new setting of The White Lotus Season 3, and from the epic Dune: Part Two to the intimate drama of The Brutalist, this guide covers the essential HBO Max content worth your subscription this year.

📺 Top 5 HBO Max Shows of 2025

The Last of Us – Season 2 ★ 4.9/5

Post-Apocalyptic Drama Thriller

Picking up where the groundbreaking first season left off, The Last of Us Season 2 delves into the darker, more complex narrative of the Part II video game. Bella Ramsey's Ellie takes center stage in a harrowing story of vengeance and trauma, while Pedro Pascal's Joel grapples with the consequences of his actions. The production values remain cinematic, with haunting new locations that expand the Cordyceps-ravaged world. New cast members bring fresh dynamics, particularly in the portrayal of Abby, whose storyline becomes one of television's most discussed character arcs.

Why Watch: A masterclass in video game adaptation that transcends its medium, offering some of the most emotionally powerful television of the year.

The Pitt ★ 4.6/5

Medical Drama Real-Time Ensemble

From the producers of ER and The West Wing, The Pitt revolutionizes medical dramas with its real-time format set during a single 15-hour shift at a Pittsburgh trauma center. The series boasts an ensemble cast of doctors, nurses, and patients whose lives intersect in moments of crisis and connection. Unlike traditional medical shows, the continuous timeline creates unparalleled tension and authenticity, with documentary-style cinematography placing viewers in the midst of the action. Each episode covers approximately one hour of story time, building to a powerful season finale that resolves multiple character arcs.

Why Watch: The most innovative medical drama in decades, combining ER's intensity with the real-time storytelling of 24.

The White Lotus – Season 3 ★ 4.8/5

Satire Drama Dark Comedy

Mike White's acclaimed anthology series moves to a luxury resort in Thailand for its third installment, bringing together a new ensemble of privileged guests and overworked staff. The stellar cast includes Carrie Coon as a wellness guru, Parker Posey as a disillusioned novelist, and Hong Chau as the resort's long-suffering manager. The White Lotus Season 3 maintains the series' signature blend of biting social commentary and suspenseful storytelling, with the tropical setting providing fresh opportunities to explore cultural clashes and colonial legacies. The mystery element returns, with flashforwards hinting at another resort death.

Why Watch: Television's sharpest satire of wealth and privilege, now with Southeast Asian flavors and another unforgettable ensemble.

Creature Commandos ★ 4.2/5

Animation Superhero Horror-Comedy

James Gunn's DC Universe expands with this adult animated series featuring classic monster characters reimagined as a black-ops team. The lineup includes Frankenstein's monster, a werewolf, a vampire, and other supernatural beings working for Amanda Waller. Creature Commandos balances over-the-top action with self-aware humor, serving as both a standalone adventure and important setup for upcoming DC films. The voice cast, including Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. and David Harbour as Frankenstein, brings surprising depth to these monstrous antiheroes. The animation style pays homage to classic horror comics while feeling thoroughly modern.

Why Watch: A fresh take on superhero animation that blends gory action with sharp humor, essential for DC Universe continuity.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms ★ 4.5/5

Fantasy Adventure Medieval

Based on George R.R. Martin's Dunk & Egg novellas, this Game of Thrones prequel offers a more intimate look at Westeros through the adventures of hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and his young squire Egg. Set about 100 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series captures Martin's world-building at its most charming, focusing on smaller-scale stories that reveal the daily realities of life in the Seven Kingdoms. The chemistry between the leads (played by unknowns chosen for their authenticity) provides the heart of the show, while tournament sequences deliver thrilling medieval action. Unlike other Westeros stories, this one maintains a generally hopeful tone.

Why Watch: A refreshingly optimistic take on the Game of Thrones universe, perfect for fans who love the world but want less political backstabbing.

🎬 Top 5 HBO Max Movies of 2025

The Brutalist ★ 4.7/5

Historical Drama Biography Artistic

Adrien Brody delivers a career-best performance as László Tóth, a Hungarian architect who flees postwar Europe to build a new life in America. The Brutalist chronicles Tóth's struggles to reconcile his Bauhaus training with the commercial realities of 1950s American architecture, culminating in his masterpiece—a controversial government building that becomes both his triumph and undoing. Director Brady Corbet crafts a visually stunning period piece that doubles as a meditation on artistic integrity and the immigrant experience. Felicity Jones co-stars as Tóth's wife, whose sacrifices enable his genius but at great personal cost.

Why Watch: One of 2025's most beautifully crafted dramas, offering a poignant look at creativity, compromise, and the American Dream.

2073 ★ 4.3/5

Sci-Fi Documentary Dystopian

Academy Award-winning director Asif Kapadia (Amy, Senna) reinvents science fiction with this groundbreaking hybrid film starring Samantha Morton. 2073 presents a future San Francisco through both narrative scenes and documentary-style interviews with the characters, creating a fully realized dystopia that feels terrifyingly plausible. Morton plays a climate scientist navigating societal collapse, corporate greed, and personal loss in a world where the wealthy have retreated to floating cities while the poor struggle on the flooded mainland. The film's innovative structure and chilling predictions have sparked widespread debate about humanity's trajectory.

Why Watch: A visionary blend of fiction and documentary that may be the most important climate change film since An Inconvenient Truth.

Dune: Part Two ★ 4.9/5

Sci-Fi Epic Adventure

Denis Villeneuve's masterful adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel reaches its conclusion in this breathtaking sequel that surpasses the first film in every way. Dune: Part Two follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he joins the Fremen to fight back against House Harkonnen, embracing his messianic destiny while fearing its consequences. New cast members including Austin Butler as the psychotic Feyd-Rautha and Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot add fresh dimensions to Herbert's complex universe. The action sequences, particularly the sandworm riding scenes and the final battle, redefine what's possible in sci-fi filmmaking, all grounded by Hans Zimmer's thunderous score.

Why Watch: A monumental achievement in science fiction cinema that fulfills the promise of Part One while setting up future stories.

Sing Sing ★ 4.6/5

Drama Prison Inspirational

Based on the true story of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, this powerful drama follows a group of inmates who find redemption through theater. Colman Domingo delivers an awards-worthy performance as the program's founder, while the ensemble cast (including several formerly incarcerated actors) brings raw authenticity to their roles. Sing Sing avoids prison movie clichés to focus on the transformative power of creativity, with rehearsals for their production of A Midsummer Night's Dream providing both humor and profound emotional moments. The film's message about second chances and human dignity resonates deeply in today's criminal justice debates.

Why Watch: One of the year's most uplifting true stories, featuring extraordinary performances from an unconventional cast.

Babygirl ★ 4.4/5

Coming-of-Age Drama Family

This intimate character study follows 17-year-old Lena (a breakout performance by newcomer Sasha Lane) as she navigates first love, family trauma, and economic hardship in rural Pennsylvania. Director Nicole Holofcener brings her signature sensitivity to Babygirl, crafting a portrait of young womanhood that avoids clichés in favor of emotional honesty. The film's observational style and naturalistic performances create a powerful sense of authenticity, with Lena's complicated relationship with her mother (a never-better Toni Collette) providing the emotional core. The rural setting and working-class perspective offer a refreshing alternative to typical teen dramas.

Why Watch: A beautifully observed coming-of-age story with phenomenal performances, especially from its young lead.