HBO Max Just Added the Best Movie of 2025

For the second time in 2025, HBO Max has added the best movie of the year to its streaming lineup. Earlier in the year it was Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, which generated an enormous amount of conversation amongst moviegoers and spent weeks as a box office force. Now, in this latter half of 2025, HBO Max is hosting the streaming debut of the consensus choice for the year’s best film.

One Battle After Another, from writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson, currently looks to be a heavy favorite throughout this coming awards season. Fortunately, before it starts popping up in more nominations announcements, movie fans will be able to catch it at home. The film debuted on HBO Max Friday morning, making it more convenient than ever before to watch the crown jewel of 2025.

Play video

Anderson’s name carries a lot of weight with dedicated film fans, and partnering with Leonardo DiCaprio generated a ton of buzz for One Battle After Another long before it ever actually landed in theaters. The film was released in theaters back in September and generated around $205 million at the box office.

If you aren’t familiar, One Battle After Another is about an ex-revolutionary who goes on the run and attempts to reunite with his daughter. DiCaprio leads an all-star cast that also includes Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, and Sean Penn. And then there’s newcomer Chase Infiniti, who nearly steals the entire movie in her very first film role, playing the daughter of DiCaprio’s character.

2025 Hits Streaming on HBO Max

HBO Max has been the go-to streaming spot for movie fans in 2025, largely due to a great run from Warner Bros. and an exclusive deal with A24.

Read Next

Disney+: Everything Coming to the Service in January 2026

Warner Bros. has had an incredible movie year, and all of the movies that helped make the year awesome made their streaming debuts on HBO Max. In addition to Sinners and One Battle After Another, HBO Max has been the streaming home for titles like Superman, Weapons, Mickey 17, and A Minecraft Movie.

The service also has a deal in place with A24 that sends all of the indie studio’s theatrical releases to HBO Max for their first streaming runs. That partnership has brought Friendship, The Materialists, Eddington, Warfare, and numerous other A24 titles to HBO Max this year. A24, big Christmas release, the Timothee Chalamet-starring Marty Supreme, will eventually also stream on HBO Max.

Additionally, that A24 deal has helped HBO Max become the exclusive streaming home to the biggest animated film of all time, Ne Zha II. The smash-hit sequel was supposed to debut on HBO Max December 24th, but the service added it to the lineup a few days early.

What are you going to be watching on HBO Max this holiday season? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!