Best Movies to Stream this Weekend on HBO Max, Including ‘The Substance’

There’s a fresh wave of films landing on HBO Max for early October, with a mix that spans brand-new documentaries, modern horror standouts, and studio classics reaching back to the Golden Age. If you’re planning a couch night, this week’s arrivals make it easy to toggle between contemporary true-story spotlights and time-tested genre favorites.

Below you’ll find ten movie picks drawn from this week’s incoming slate. Each entry includes the essentials—what it’s about, who’s in it, and who made it—so you can quickly decide what fits your mood. Queue up a new release, drop into a documentary, or revisit a classic; it’s all right there on HBO Max.

‘Prime Minister’ (2025)

This feature documentary follows Jacinda Ardern’s path to becoming New Zealand’s 40th prime minister and traces five years of leadership through major national and global crises. The film features Ardern and incorporates intimate material that spans her personal and public life as it explores decision-making during events such as the Christchurch mosque attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Directed by Lindsay Utz and Michelle Walshe, ‘Prime Minister’ is produced by Cass Avery, Leon Kirkbeck, Clarke Gayford, Gigi Pritzker, Rachel Shane, and Katie Peck, with Peck also serving as director of photography. The film debuted earlier in the year at a major festival and comes to HBO Max as part of this week’s lineup.

‘The Alabama Solution’ (2025)

‘The Alabama Solution’ is an HBO Documentary Films feature investigating the state’s prison system, shaped by years of reporting and access to inmate-shot footage. The film spotlights incarcerated organizers including Robert Earl Council (Kinetik Justice) and Melvin Ray while mapping allegations of violence, forced labor, and systemic failures across facilities.

The documentary is directed and produced by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman, with Page Marsella contributing to writing/editing and Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller serving as executive producers. The project includes original music by Mark Batson and arrives on HBO Max this week as one of the service’s headline non-fiction premieres.

‘The Substance’ (2024)

Written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, ‘The Substance’ is a satirical body-horror film about a fading celebrity who undergoes a clandestine procedure that creates a younger version of herself, triggering escalating consequences. The story centers on Elisabeth Sparkle and the fallout from a radical rejuvenation scheme that upends identity and control.

Demi Moore stars as Elisabeth, Margaret Qualley portrays the younger double, and Dennis Quaid appears as a powerful industry figure tied to her comeback and collapse. Backed by Working Title Films, the production features cinematography by Benjamin Kracun and an original score by Raffertie, and it premieres on HBO Max during this week’s drop.

‘The Witch’ (2015)

Set in 1630s New England, ‘The Witch’ follows a Puritan family whose infant’s disappearance and a series of ominous events lead to suspicion, religious paranoia, and mounting dread within their isolated homestead. The narrative focuses on the eldest daughter Thomasin as tensions fracture the family’s faith and unity.

Written and directed by Robert Eggers, the film stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, and Kate Dickie. Produced by A24 collaborators including Lars Knudsen, it features period detail, location shooting that emphasizes frontier isolation, and a distinctive soundscape anchored by a foreboding score.

‘Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa’ (2013)

‘Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa’ brings Steve Coogan’s long-running radio and TV character to the big screen in a story about a local radio station siege that ropes the hapless DJ into negotiating with a disgruntled former colleague. The action unfolds in and around North Norfolk Digital as events escalate into a hostage situation.

Directed by Declan Lowney from a screenplay credited to Coogan and collaborators, the comedy co-stars Colm Meaney, Felicity Montagu, and Simon Greenall. Produced by Baby Cow and distributed by StudioCanal, the film expands the character’s world with location shooting in Norfolk and a supporting cast drawn from the broader Partridge ensemble.

’50 First Dates’ (2004)

Set in Hawaii, ’50 First Dates’ follows marine veterinarian Henry Roth as he meets Lucy Whitmore, whose short-term memory loss causes her to forget each day’s events. Henry crafts daily introductions and gestures to rebuild their connection every morning while navigating the challenges posed by Lucy’s family and friends.

Directed by Peter Segal, the film stars Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, with supporting turns from Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Dan Aykroyd, and Blake Clark. Produced under Happy Madison alongside Anonymous Content, the production blends on-location island settings with studio work and features a soundtrack that became closely associated with the movie’s tropical backdrop.

‘Halloween H20: 20 Years Later’ (1998)

Twenty years after the original events, ‘Halloween H20: 20 Years Later’ finds Laurie Strode living under an assumed name as the headmistress of a California prep school when Michael Myers resurfaces. The story tracks Laurie’s attempt to protect her son and students as the masked killer closes in.

Directed by Steve Miner from a script by Robert Zappia, the slasher sequel stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Josh Hartnett, Michelle Williams, and Adam Arkin, with LL Cool J in a supporting role. Produced for Dimension Films/Miramax, the film features editing and scoring that tie it directly to the franchise’s legacy while updating the setting for a late-1990s audience.

‘Scooby-Doo’ (2002)

A live-action take on the Hanna-Barbera staple, ‘Scooby-Doo’ reunites Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby after a two-year split when they’re hired to investigate strange goings-on at Spooky Island during spring break. The film stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini, and Matthew Lillard, with Rowan Atkinson in a key supporting role as the island’s owner.

Directed by Raja Gosnell from a screenplay by James Gunn, the movie blends practical creature effects with early-2000s CGI work and was produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle for Warner Bros. The feature kicked off a brief live-action run for the franchise and includes original voice work for Scooby alongside an ensemble built to mirror the animated team.

‘The Steel Jungle’ (1956)

‘The Steel Jungle’ centers on Danny, a young inmate navigating shifting alliances and ruthless power struggles inside a high-security prison while his wife confronts pressures on the outside. The plot follows competing loyalties among prisoners and the institution’s hierarchy.

Written and directed by Walter Doniger, the Warner Bros. production stars Perry Lopez, Beverly Garland, Walter Abel, Ted de Corsia, and Kenneth Tobey. Produced by David Weisbart, the film’s studio craftsmanship reflects mid-century crime-and-punishment dramas in its photography, pacing, and ensemble casting.

‘The Unfaithful’ (1947)

Set in Los Angeles, ‘The Unfaithful’ opens with Chris Hunter killing an intruder in self-defense, only for an investigation to reveal a secret affair that threatens her marriage and reputation. The story follows legal maneuvers and personal fallout as the truth emerges piece by piece.

Directed by Vincent Sherman and produced by Jerry Wald for Warner Bros., the film stars Ann Sheridan, Lew Ayres, Zachary Scott, and Eve Arden. The screenplay by David Goodis and James Gunn draws on W. Somerset Maugham’s ‘The Letter’, with cinematography by Ernest Haller and music by Max Steiner underscoring its film-noir roots.

‘Mystery of the Wax Museum’ (1933)

In ‘Mystery of the Wax Museum’, master sculptor Ivan Igor loses his London wax museum to a catastrophic fire and later reopens in New York, where disappearances fuel rumors that his lifelike figures have a sinister origin. A persistent reporter digs into the case as bodies vanish around the city.

Directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Bros., the film stars Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Glenda Farrell, and Frank McHugh. Notable for its early two-color Technicolor process, the production pairs stylized sets with newsroom banter and suspense elements that influenced later horror and mystery films.

Share your own HBO Max picks and what you’re streaming first this weekend in the comments!