‘The Substance’ Takes Over as HBO Max’s Most-Watched Movie of the Week: Here Is the Rest of the Top 10

From buzzy new releases to comfort-watch classics, this week’s Max lineup is stacked with horror heavy-hitters, DC spectacle, and nostalgic favorites. Below, count down from 10 to 1 exactly as they’re trending—each entry includes quick, useful details like who made it, who’s in it, and what it’s about so you can pick your next play fast.

10. ‘Friday the 13th’ (1980)

Set at Camp Crystal Lake, this seminal slasher follows counselors preparing to reopen the site as a mysterious killer stalks them. Notable for practical gore effects by Tom Savini, it helped codify genre tropes that dominated early-’80s horror. The film became a box-office hit for an independent production and launched a long-running franchise. Its setting, stalking set-pieces, and twist ending cemented it as a staple of seasonal scare marathons.

9. ‘Beetlejuice’ (1988)

Tim Burton’s dark fantasy comedy features Michael Keaton as the chaotic “bio-exorcist” Betelgeuse, hired by a recently deceased couple to scare off the new family in their home. Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin, and Geena Davis co-star in a story that mixes afterlife bureaucracy with prankish hauntings. The film was a commercial success and won the Academy Award for Best Makeup. Its popularity spawned an animated series, a stage musical, and a modern sequel.

8. ‘Practical Magic’ (1998)

Adapted from Alice Hoffman’s novel, this fantasy drama stars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as witch sisters raised by their aunts, played by Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing. The plot involves a family curse, a dangerous ex, and a community-driven climax that blends romance, suspense, and supernatural elements. Alan Silvestri provides the score and Griffin Dunne directs. The film later found a cult following after its initial release.

7. ‘Freddy vs. Jason’ (2003)

Ronny Yu directs this crossover slugfest uniting Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees from the ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ and ‘Friday the 13th’ series. Robert Englund returns as Freddy opposite Ken Kirzinger’s Jason, with the film structured to pit both villains against each other and a group of teens. It opened at number one and became a sizable box-office hit. The movie serves as a franchise milestone by formally merging two long-running horror timelines.

6. ‘Scooby-Doo’ (2002)

The live-action take on the animated classic reunites Mystery Inc. on a tropical resort called Spooky Island after a messy split. Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini, and Matthew Lillard headline the cast, with Lillard’s Shaggy becoming a franchise staple. The plot brings costumed creeps, real monsters, and tongue-in-cheek nods to the original series. It kicked off a brief run of theatrical adventures for the gang.

5. ‘Corpse Bride’ (2005)

Tim Burton and Mike Johnson co-direct this stop-motion gothic musical featuring voice performances by Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Set in a Victorian-inspired village, it follows a nervous groom who accidentally proposes to a deceased bride and ends up pulled into the underworld. Danny Elfman’s score and songs are central to the film’s atmosphere. It’s a compact, visually distinctive tale from Burton’s wheelhouse.

4. ‘The Alabama Solution’ (2025)

This documentary—directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman—investigates systemic abuse and corruption inside Alabama’s prison system using footage captured by incarcerated people. It examines overcrowding, violence, forced labor, and the death of Steven Davis, placing those events in a broader context of accountability and reform efforts. The film premiered on the festival circuit before landing on Max. Review coverage frames it as essential viewing for its on-the-ground reporting and scope.

3. ‘Bring Her Back’ (2025)

Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, this Australian horror centers on two step-siblings ensnared in an occult plot, with Sally Hawkins delivering a widely praised performance. Critics highlight its grief-driven suspense and nightmarish domestic tension. Coverage notes it as a standout new horror title of the year. It’s been a buzzy pick for genre fans looking for something intense and emotionally grounded.

2. ‘Superman’ (2025)

James Gunn directs this fresh take on DC’s most iconic hero, with David Corenswet as Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. The film introduces a new continuity within DC Studios’ shared universe while leaning into classic journalism-in-Metropolis elements and hopeful heroics. Production notes cite influences from celebrated comic arcs and earlier animated iterations. It opened in mid-summer and anchors the character’s next on-screen era.

1. ‘The Substance’ (2024)

Coralie Fargeat writes and directs this body-horror thriller starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid. The story follows a celebrity who turns to an illicit biotech procedure that creates a younger double—with horrifying consequences when the two versions battle for control. It premiered to strong festival buzz before rolling out to wider audiences. Expect graphic, transformation-focused effects and a sharp take on fame and identity.

Tell us which picks you’ve been streaming on Max—and what you’re watching next—in the comments.