Fall Is Here, and a Cult Teen Witch Classic Is Casting a Fresh Spell on HBO Max’s Most-Watched Chart

Every autumn, streaming audiences start reaching for spooky favorites long before Halloween arrives. This year, one cult witch classic has slipped right back into the conversation. HBO Max helped set the mood early, since its enormous September 1 collection included ‘Carrie,’ ‘Misery,’ ‘Interview with the Vampire’ and ‘Talk to Me.’

The film in question arrived as part of that same wave. It comes from director Andrew Fleming, who co-wrote it with Peter Filardi, and Columbia Pictures released it on May 3, 1996, with a $15 million budget. The story follows outcast teen girls who turn to witchcraft, and the cast includes Fairuza Balk, Robin Tunney, Neve Campbell and Rachel True.

That film is ‘The Craft,’ and it is officially back on the chart. In the latest HBO Max movie rankings, it sits at No. 9, down 1 spot from its previous position, after 24 days on the list. According to FlixPatrol, it is one of the most-watched movies on the platform in the United States.

The company it keeps says a lot about the season. ‘Supergirl’ holds the No. 1 spot, but the lower half of the list is packed with witchy and spooky picks, including ‘Practical Magic’ at No. 7 and ‘Beetlejuice’ at No. 10. SlashFilm pointed out that the arrival of ‘Practical Magic 2’ lines up with this seasonal surge.

The return to the chart also speaks to how durable the film has become. CBR noted that its reappearance among the most-watched titles reflects its lasting popularity, even though the movie drew mixed reviews at release. Audiences clearly showed up anyway, and the film earned $55.6 million at the box office.

Part of that staying power comes from what the film represents. Frame Rated argues it helped normalize witchcraft in popular media, paving the way for ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ and ‘Charmed.’ That influence is easy to spot in the way modern teen horror still borrows its mix of friendship, power and consequences.

The story has also kept growing beyond the original. Zoe Lister-Jones wrote and directed the 2020 legacy sequel ‘The Craft: Legacy,’ with Blumhouse producing and Fleming serving as executive producer. IndieWire described the original as a film about alienation, bullying and fighting back against people who want to keep you down, themes that clearly still resonate with viewers.

There is also a fun bit of horror history attached to the film’s cast. SlashFilm noted that it hit theaters about 7 months before the original ‘Scream’ rocked the box office, and Campbell would soon become a genre icon thanks to that franchise. Looking back, the coven’s big-screen debut feels like an early sign of where 90s horror was headed.

For anyone planning a spooky season watchlist, the timing could not be better. The film is currently streaming on HBO Max, and A24’s ‘Backrooms’ begins streaming on September 25, giving subscribers even more reasons to keep the lights low. If the chart is any indication, plenty of viewers are already in the mood for a little magic.