3 Best Movies To Watch On HBO Max This Weekend (October 17-18)
Felipe Rangel is a Movie and TV Journalist ScreenRant. He has been writing about movies and TV since 2021. Felipe joined ScreenRant in 2022, working across different teams, covering everything from breaking news to features to reviews and more.
Felipe is a writer who is an avid film and TV fan, with superhero movies and series being his biggest passion. He graduated from college in 2019, having studied Journalism. Before college, he spent a month studying at the Oxford English Centre. His superhero knowledge expands to the comics, with his undergraduate thesis being "Politics Reflected In American Comics."
HBO Max subscribers will have options that include a spy thriller, a superhero movie with a sci-fi theme, and a drama focused on an iconic character this weekend on the streaming service. On last weekend's HBO Max movie recommendations, I talked about Crazy Rich Asians, the Stephen King adaptation The Shining, and Sydney Sweeney's R-rated psychological thriller The Housemaid.
Two of those movies are trending on the streaming service in the United States. At the time of writing, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is the 9th most popular movie on HBO Max nationwide. Alongside the film directed by one of the best directors of all time is Sweeney's The Housemaid, which currently stands as HBO Max's most-watched movie in the US.
After last weekend's HBO Max movie recommendations had a horror movie, this new list does not feature one. Yes, we are in the month of Halloween, but there are quite a few major releases this time around and a very timely film that makes it important to let go of the horror theme for now.
Choose the movie with the higher Rotten Tomatoes score.
Among the new movies is one of the 2026 entries in James Gunn's DC Universe. That superhero film is joined on the HBO Max list by a spy thriller featuring Rachel Brosnahan, who plays Lois Lane in the DCU Superman movie and the franchise at large. The other entry on the list is a thriller with Hugh Jackman, a Marvel Studios star. Check out HBO Max's best movies below:
3 Supergirl (2026)
First up is the only superhero movie on the list. Supergirl is a timely watch for DC fans for two reasons. First, it is almost slipping out of the HBO Max US chart, currently at 10th, so this weekend is perfect to rewatch it and finally give it a go before the end of an era arrives. The other factor behind why HBO Max subscribers should watch Supergirl now is to prepare for the DCU's next release.
The HBO series Lanterns has now finished airing season 1. Next up is Clayface, the 2nd DCU movie of 2026, with the R-rated Batman villain film releasing in theaters on October 23. As such, this is the last weekend to get up to date on the DCU with Supergirl. The Milly Alcock movie presents a fun journey through space with Kara and Ruthye, boosted by a tragic backstory for Supergirl and Jason Momoa's electric DCU debut as Lobo.
2 The Death of Robin Hood (2026)
Hugh Jackman's The Death of Robin Hood is an A24 movie that packs a punch. The R-rated thriller follows Jackman as the iconic Robin Hood, playing an older and grizzled version of the archer, who now looks back at his life as an outlaw as he gets badly injured. It brings along an intense, vulnerable, and layered performance from Jackman.
The Death of Robin Hood offers a new way of watching a classic story. The R-rated thriller also features stars like Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, Noah Jupe, and more. The Death of Robin Hood is more of a character study than an action-packed movie, though it does start strongly with brutal action and Jackman doing what he does best. The Death of Robin Hood arrived on HBO Max this Friday, October 16.
1 The Amateur (2025)
Finally, The Amateur arrives on HBO Max this Saturday, October 17. The spy thriller comes with a wide array of stars, including Rami Malek, Jon Bernthal, Rachel Brosnahan, Laurence Fishburne, Holt McCallany, and more. The Amateur is based on the 1981 novel of the same name by Robert Littell.
As its title suggests, Malek's Charlie Heller is not a field agent. However, when his wife is murdered in a terrorist attack, Charlie embarks on a dark revenge mission. Using his skills as a CIA cryptographer, he gets his hands on incriminating material, blackmailing the CIA into providing him with the necessary training for Charlie to become a killing machine and get his revenge. The Amateur is an explosive final movie to watch on HBO Max this weekend.
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Survivor Kara Zor El is still haunted by Krypton's collapse, drifting across the galaxy with Krypto at her side. When a young warrior named Ruthye begs for help avenging a family tragedy, Kara gets pulled into a ruthless hunt for Krem of the Yellow Hills.
- Director
- Craig Gillespie
- Main Genre
- Superhero
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The Death of Robin Hood
8/10
- Release Date
- June 19, 2026
- Runtime
- 123 Minutes
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Robin Hood
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Sister Brigid
Aging and battle-worn, Robin Hood faces the consequences of his past crimes and murders. Gravely injured after a battle, he now finds himself in the care of a mysterious woman who offers him a chance at redemption.
- Director
- Michael Sarnoski
- Main Genre
- Drama
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The Amateur
7/10
- Release Date
- April 11, 2025
- Runtime
- 123 minutes
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Heller
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Holt McCallany
Director Moore
Brilliant but introverted CIA decoder Charlie Heller sees his quiet life shattered when his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack. After his superiors refuse to pursue those responsible, Charlie takes matters into his own hands and begins a dangerous international hunt.
- Director
- James Hawes
- Main Genre
- Thriller
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