Best Movies to Stream this Weekend on HBO Max, Including ‘The Legend of Ochi’

This weekend brings a stack of films on Max that mix brand new releases with recent festival favorites and modern crowd pleasers. To help you plan an easy watchlist, here are ten movie picks pulled from this week’s arrivals and the current most watched titles on the service.

You will find major studio adventures, inventive indies, and franchise entries alongside animated hits for family viewing. Each pick below includes a quick plot outline plus key cast and crew so you can jump straight to what fits your mood.

‘Final Destination Bloodlines’ (2025)

The sixth entry builds a new story around descendants of a woman who once escaped a deadly disaster, which means people who were never supposed to exist are now in the path of a design that corrects itself. Kaitlyn Santa Juana leads the cast with Teo Briones among the ensemble as the chain of set pieces connects back to earlier cases in the series.

Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein direct from a screenplay by Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor based on a story they developed with Jon Watts. New Line Cinema produced with Warner Bros. handling distribution and Tony Todd returns as William Bludworth in a role that ties the film to the franchise’s legacy.

‘A Minecraft Movie’ (2025)

The game world becomes a live action adventure when an Overworld threat forces a small band of unlikely heroes to craft, build, and fight their way to safety. Jason Momoa and Jack Black headline with Emma Myers and other new faces stepping into characters created for the film.

Jared Hess directs with Mojang Studios involved alongside Warner Bros. Pictures. The production translates recognizable mobs, biomes, and tools into practical and visual effects while keeping the story accessible for viewers who have never played the game.

‘The Legend of Ochi’ (2025)

Set on a remote island, a young girl ventures into the wild and learns to communicate with the mysterious creatures known as the Ochi while searching for her place in the world. Helena Zengel stars with Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson, and Willem Dafoe in key roles.

The fantasy adventure marks the feature debut of director Isaiah Saxon and is released by A24. Practical creature work and location photography carry the production’s look with a score and sound design built to emphasize the bond between humans and the native species.

‘Sinners’ (2025)

This period thriller follows twin brothers who return to their Delta hometown and face a violent supernatural force that is entangled with old crimes and buried history. Michael B. Jordan plays both brothers with support from Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, and other ensemble players.

Ryan Coogler writes, directs, and produces with a team that includes frequent collaborators on cinematography, production design, and music. The film blends crime drama structure with folklore elements while staging large scale sequences in practical Southern locations.

‘Death of a Unicorn’ (2025)

A father and daughter strike a unicorn on a late night drive and bring the body to a corporate retreat where powerful people see profit in its supposed healing properties. Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega lead with Richard E. Grant, Will Poulter, and Téa Leoni appearing in supporting roles.

Writer director Alex Scharfman makes his feature debut with A24 distributing. The production features cinematography by Larry Fong and music by Dan Romer and Giosuè Greco, balancing eerie woodland scenes with clinical corporate settings.

‘Freaky Tales’ (2024)

Four interconnected stories unfold in Oakland as club nights, street legends, and neighborhood battles cross paths over one wild day. The ensemble includes Pedro Pascal, Ben Mendelsohn, Jay Ellis, Normani, Dominique Thorne, and Jack Champion with cameos rooted in the city’s music culture.

Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck write and direct with MACRO among the producing partners. On location shoots across the Bay Area and a period specific soundtrack anchor the anthology structure as each chapter circles back to the others.

‘The Woman King’ (2022)

Set in the Kingdom of Dahomey, an experienced general trains a new generation of the Agojie, the all female warrior regiment, while the nation faces external threats and internal change. Viola Davis stars with Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and John Boyega.

Gina Prince Bythewood directs from a screenplay by Dana Stevens based on a story by Stevens and Maria Bello. The production involves TriStar Pictures and partners, features cinematography by Polly Morgan, and a score by Terence Blanchard.

‘Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile’ (2022)

A New York family discovers that the friendly crocodile in their attic communicates only through song, which leads to big city misadventures and new confidence for a shy kid. Javier Bardem, Constance Wu, and Winslow Fegley star, with Shawn Mendes providing Lyle’s singing voice.

Will Speck and Josh Gordon direct from a screenplay by William Davies, adapting Bernard Waber’s classic books. Original songs come from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul with Matthew Margeson composing the score for Columbia Pictures and partners.

‘Alien: Covenant’ (2017)

A colony ship diverts to a seemingly habitable planet and uncovers remnants of a prior expedition along with a lethal organism that evolves faster than expected. Michael Fassbender plays both the synthetic David and the newer model Walter alongside Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, and Danny McBride.

Ridley Scott returns to the series as director with production by 20th Century Fox and Scott Free. The film connects narrative threads from ‘Prometheus’ and employs a mix of practical creature effects and large scale location work for its planetary sequences.

‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ (2011)

Po and the Furious Five travel to Gongmen City to stop the peacock warlord Lord Shen, a villain whose new weapon threatens the future of kung fu and forces Po to confront memories of his past. The voice cast features Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, and Michelle Yeoh with the ensemble from the first film returning.

Jennifer Yuh Nelson directs with DreamWorks Animation producing. The score is composed by Hans Zimmer and John Powell and the production builds on the franchise’s hand painted look with stylized action set pieces that emphasize choreography and character beats.

Share your own Max picks for the weekend in the comments and tell us which movie you are starting with.