The Best New Movies and Shows on HBO Max This Month

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HBO and HBO Max are adding a new Game of Thrones prequel in January 2026. Called A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the show takes place a century before the events of Thrones and follows the story of Ser Duncan the Tall and his companion, Egg. It’s based on the writings of George R.R. Martin.

Noah Wyle returns as the star of The Pitt, HBO’s hit medical drama, for a second season. Season 2 will premiere on January 8th and consist of fifteen new episodes released weekly on both HBO and its streaming service.

January also brings a new documentary about Mel Brooks, made with help from Judd Apatow. Plus, the fourth season of HBO’s Industry arrives, and you can start streaming A24 films The Smashing Machine and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.

Here’s everything new to stream on HBO Max in January 2026.

Here’s a list of films: A Most Violent Year, All This and Heaven Too, Almost Christmas, April in Paris, Baby Face, Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around the World, Blazing Saddles, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Catwoman (2004), Constantine, Deception (1946), Desire Me, and Double Wedding. This list is dated January 1st.

Here’s a list of movie and television titles: Ex Machina, Faithless, Fargo (1996), Fifth Avenue Girl, Frankenstein 1970, Getaway, Glass, Going the Distance, Goodbye, My Fancy, Green Lantern: Beware My Power, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, Green Lantern: First Flight, Green Mansions, HGTV Dream Home 2026, High Anxiety, History of the World: Part 1, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, It All Came True, It’s Love I’m After, John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, June Bride, Legend of the Guardians The Owls of Ga’hoole, Lili, Love Crazy, Lullaby of Broadway, Margaret, Margaret: Extended Version, Mike Wallace is Here, Mogambo, Moonlight, My Favorite Wife, My Reputation, Neptune’s Daughter, Nine Lives, Panama Hattie, Possessed (1931), Presenting Lily Mars, Pride and Prejudice (1940), Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins, Reunion in France, Rocket Science, Royal Wedding, and Sadie McKee.

Here’s a list of movie and television titles: Spaceballs, Task Force, Taxi Driver, Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans, The Americanization of Emily, The Bride Came C.O.D., The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, The Curse of Frankenstein, The Desert Song, The Enchanted Cottage, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, The Last Time I Saw Paris, The Narrow Margin, The Red Badge of Courage, The Student Prince, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn (Part 1), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn (Part 2), The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Working Man, This Modern Age, To Please a Lady, Today We Live, Twilight, and Vivacious Lady.

While We’re Young (A24)
Wife vs. Secretary
Wild Boys of the Road
World Without End
Zabriskie Point

On January 2nd, several new episodes of home and lifestyle shows premiered. These included Volume 10 of House Hunters on HGTV, Season 4 and 5 of Lakefront Bargain Hunt Renovation on Magnolia Network, and the first season of The Cult of the Real Housewife on TLC.

January 5
Home Town, Season 10 (HGTV)
Worst Cooks in America: Reality Check (Food Network)

Here’s what’s new on TV for January 6th: you can watch Season 1 of ‘Baking Championship: Next Gen’ on Food Network, Season 4 of ‘Haunted Hospitals’ on Travel Channel, and ‘The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story’ on ID.

Here’s a look at what’s on TV for January 7th: new episodes of 1000-lb Sisters (Season 8, TLC), Moonshiners (Season 15, Discovery), Nevada Wild (Season 1, Animal Planet), Wildcard Kitchen (Season 3, Food Network), and a special presentation of Justice Defenders: Change Inside Prison, The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper (CNN Originals).

Here’s a rundown of TV shows airing on January 8th: Expedition X (Season 11 on Discovery), My Strange Addiction (Season 7 on TLC), Neighborhood Watch (Season 1 on HGTV), The Pitt (Season 2, a Max Original), Real PD: Kansas City: Death Before Dishonor (on ID), and Ugliest House in America (Season 7 on HGTV).

January 9
House Hunters International: Volume 9, Season 206 (HGTV)

Here’s a list of shows and seasons available as of January 11th: Industry (Season 4, HBO Original), Love & Marriage: Huntsville (Season 10, OWN), Maxxed Out (Season 1, OWN), Totally Spies (Season 7B), and Unexplained: Caught on Camera (Season 4, Travel).

January 12
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal, Season 3 (Adult Swim)

Here’s a look at what’s on TV for January 13th: People Magazine Investigates (Season 9, ID), Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings (Season 6, Discovery), Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings: The Great Eight (Season 2, Discovery), and The Curious Case of… (Season 2, ID).

On January 14th, these shows aired: Evil Lives Here (Season 19, ID), Killer Confessions: Case Files of a Texas Ranger (Season 1, ID), and Suddenly Amish (Season 1, TLC).

January 15
Hot Rod Garage, Season 12

January 16
House Hunters: Volume 11, Season 250 (HGTV)

On January 18th, HBO released both “A Knight in the Making, Season 1” and “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Season 1” (an HBO Original).

January 20
Street Outlaws: Locals Only, Season 2 (Discovery)

January 22
Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! (HBO Original)

Here’s what’s new to stream:

My Haunted Hometown, Season 1 (Travel)
 Real Time with Bill Maher, Season 24 (HBO Original)
* The Smashing Machine (A24)

These titles became available on January 23rd.

January 25
Have I Got News For You, Season 4 (CNN Originals)

January 27
33 Photos from the Ghetto (HBO Original)

January 29
Beat Bobby Flay, Season 40 (Food Network)

January 30
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (A24)

January 31
I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not (CNN Films)

The Most Underrated Movies of 2025

Ballerina

While the film Ballerina doesn’t actually feature much ballet, that’s almost beside the point considering how many action-packed flamethrower battles it does have. Despite rumors of extensive reshoots and a plot that feels a bit uneven, this John Wick spin-off delivers incredible action – including what might be the most literal gunfight ever filmed. And the quirky European ski resort setting of the final act is a fun nod to the classic film Gymkata.

Caught Stealing

Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing was a surprisingly enjoyable film. Released late in August – often a dumping ground for bad movies – it’s a darkly funny thriller with a great, old-school New York City feel. It brings to mind Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, and keeps throwing unexpected twists at you. What stood out most was the nostalgia: seeing Shea Stadium, the old Kim’s Video store, or even just the fact that a major studio made a smart, adult drama like this.

Good Fortune

Just a few years ago, a movie with stars like Seth Rogen, Keanu Reeves, and Keke Palmer, directed by and featuring Aziz Ansari, would have easily earned tens of millions of dollars in the US. However, the current state of movie theaters is particularly tough for comedies, even enjoyable ones like Good Fortune, which boasts one of Keanu Reeves’ best performances.

In the film, Ansari and Rogen play a delivery driver and a tech worker who accidentally switch lives thanks to a mistake made by Reeves’ character – a somewhat clumsy but well-meaning guardian angel. Reeves is always excellent in roles with a supernatural element; he seems to exist on a different plane than the rest of us. It’s a delight to watch him experience simple pleasures like a cheeseburger and the feeling of eating for the first time – truly heavenly.

Highest 2 Lowest

If I could choose the best supporting actor or actress of 2025, it would be A$AP Rocky in Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest. While the film doesn’t rank among Lee’s greatest works – it starts slowly as Denzel Washington’s character enjoys his success – it truly comes alive when A$AP Rocky appears. He plays a mysterious figure who inadvertently kidnaps the driver’s son, disrupting everything. The scenes between Rocky and Washington are fantastic, and their confrontation in a recording studio is one of the most captivating moments in any film this year. It’s surprising that A$AP Rocky hasn’t received more awards attention – so far, he only received a nomination for a Breakthrough Performer Gotham Award, which he didn’t win. Perhaps people simply haven’t seen Highest 2 Lowest yet. If you haven’t, I highly recommend watching that recording studio scene – it perfectly showcases his incredible performance.

Mickey 17

Robert Pattinson’s character in Mickey 17, much like his Batman, is a man of many versions. He’s part of a program where people, known as “expendables,” complete dangerous missions vital for establishing space colonies. Each time he dies on a mission, a new body is created – he’s currently on his 17th. A glitch causes an 18th version to appear as well. While Mickey 17 might not be as consistently strong as Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, and didn’t perform well with critics or at the box office, this inconsistency could be intentional. A film featuring 18 almost identical characters, each with slight personality differences, might naturally have shifts in mood and tone.

The Naked Gun

I really loved The Naked Gun reboot! Critics seemed to enjoy it too, and it did alright in cinemas, but honestly, the box office numbers were a little disappointing. Considering how much everyone talked about it – how it was supposed to be the comeback for big, funny movies in theaters – making around $100 million worldwide just doesn’t feel like a huge success. And it’s a shame, because this movie was hilarious. At 85 minutes, it was packed with visual gags, silly jokes, and that classic, slightly-crude humor we all love. Plus, it cleverly poked fun at pop culture. Honestly, it’s one of the best updates of an older franchise I’ve seen in recent years, and I wish more people had gone to see it!

Nouvelle Vague

Critics loved both of director Richard Linklater’s 2025 films, giving them the same 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, while Blue Moon had a traditional theatrical release and generated Oscar buzz for its stars, Ethan Hawke and Andrew Scott, Nouvelle Vague premiered on Netflix and quickly got lost among other streaming content.

This is unfortunate, as both films are excellent and complement each other nicely, telling mirrored stories about influential artists. Blue Moon focuses on a great artist in decline, while Nouvelle Vague shows a genius finding his voice. You might expect a film about a groundbreaking director like Godard to inspire an equally innovative making-of movie, but Nouvelle Vague is actually a fairly standard biography. (In fact, it’s more conventional than Blue Moon, which tells the story of lyricist Lorenz Hart through a single, difficult night.)

Still, a stylish, black-and-white French film released on Netflix – one that makes the French New Wave seem incredibly cool and could inspire a new generation to explore cinema – feels like a worthwhile endeavor. (Just be aware that if you’re inspired to watch the original Breathless, you’ll need a separate subscription to HBO Max.)

One of Them Days

The comedy The Naked Gun earned around $100 million worldwide, while One of Them Days brought in $51.8 million. The new film follows roommates Keke Palmer and SZA after SZA’s boyfriend spends their rent money, leaving them desperate to find a replacement before they’re evicted. The fast-paced plot creates tension and keeps the story moving, and the clever writing by Syreeta Singleton delivers consistent humor. With a bit of luck, this could be the start of a successful comedy series starring Palmer and SZA, who have excellent chemistry together.

Tron: Ares

Jared Leto is a surprisingly good fit for the role of a thinking app trying to figure out people in the new Tron. But the real stars of the show are the stunning visuals and the incredible soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails, which makes even the most outlandish plot points – yes, it involves magical 3D printers – feel epic. Don’t expect high art; this isn’t Shakespeare or even Hamnet. But if you’re craving fast-paced action with glowing vehicles, lightcycles, and a seriously cool warrior played by Jodie Turner-Smith, all set to a thumping NIN score, you’ll love it.

You’re Cordially Invited

I was genuinely shocked by the negative reaction to “You’re Cordially Invited.” It’s a funny and charming romantic comedy directed by the creator of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” starring Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell – a pairing I was excited to see. The story, about two weddings accidentally double-booked at the same small location, had a lot of potential and the leads had great chemistry. Yet, the movie received poor reviews and, according to Rotten Tomatoes (where it only scored 33%), audiences didn’t like it either – even worse than the “Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey” movie! This year, I’ve occasionally felt disconnected from popular culture, but the response to this film was the most baffling. I really don’t understand why people disliked it so much.

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2025-12-22 21:00