HBO Max has a huge selection of shows and movies from all of its partner networks, including HBO, Discovery, Food Network, and more. New shows and movies are always being added, so here are my top choices for this weekend and the week ahead, plus everything new streaming below. Heading into Christmas, we’ve got a new R-rated Batman animation, a Paul Thomas Anderson action thriller, a hugely successful Chinese movie, and a documentary about kids’ music.
This Week on Max: PCMag’s Picks
One Battle After Another (Dec. 19)
We’re heading into awards season, and one of this year’s top contenders for Oscar gold is Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. It follows an ex-revolutionary (Leonardo DiCaprio) who’s forced back into action to escape a corrupt military officer (Sean Penn) from his past.
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Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
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Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti
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Genre: Action
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Rating: R
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IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires (Dec. 22)
DC’s animated Elseworlds specials are always a ton of fun, and this installment moves Bruce Wayne’s nocturnal story of revenge to the 16th century. When his parents are murdered by Spanish colonizers, Yohualli Coatl takes on a masked identity to punish conquistador Hernan Cortés. But when a disfigured priest becomes the crazed Joker, things get even more deadly for our south-of-the-border Batman.
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Director: Juan Jose Meza-Leon
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Stars: Luis Bermudez, Omar Chaparro, Raymond Cruz
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Genre: Animation
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Rating: R
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IMDb Rating: 5.3/10
Ne Zha II (Dec. 24)
Bringing in over $2.2 billion worldwide, Ne Zha II is one of the biggest box office success stories to emerge from mainland China in recent years. The lusciously animated tale of magic and martial arts is a non-stop explosion of action, gags, and surprisingly heartfelt messages about the power to change both yourself and the world around you. Ne Zha is also on HBO Max, so you can watch both on the same platform.
Happy And You Know It (Dec. 25)
The world of children’s music is inescapable for most parents, no matter how much you try. But the stories behind some of the most popular performers in the preschool set are pretty fascinating. New documentary Happy And You Know It dives deep into the industry, with interviews with Wiggles and other luminaries, and also tackles the oncoming impact of AI (because kids love slop).
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Director: Penny Lane
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Genre: Documentary
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Rating: TV-MA
HBO Max New Releases This Week
December 19
One Battle After Another
House Hunters: Volume 10 – Season 248
Teen Titans Go! – Season 9F
December 20
Adult Swim’s The Elephant
December 21
Secrets in the Sand – Season 2
December 22
Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires (2025)
The Last Captains – Season 1
Recommended by Our Editors
December 23
“The Exorcists,” The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper
December 24
Guy’s Grocery Games – Season 40
Ne Zha II
December 25
Happy And You Know It
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About Our Expert
K. Thor Jensen
Contributing Writer
Experience
K. Thor Jensen is a writer and cartoonist living in the Pacific Northwest. He has contributed to dozens of prestigious outlets, including PCMag, Tested, Clickhole, and Newsweek. His second graphic novel, Cloud Stories, was released in 2017.
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