HBO Max is getting 2026 off to a fresh start with an eclectic mix of modern movies and classic films that span decades.
Thankfully, some of the more recently released films on HBO Max have a lot to offer to movie fans of all genres.
The Watch With Us team has carefully curated this month’s selection and chosen the three HBO Max movies to watch in January 2026.
Our picks include a very funny horror flick, a sports bio and a great action sequel that often gets overlooked.
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3. ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ (2022)
Current HBO leading lady and I Love LA star Rachel Sennott has a supporting role as Alice in the horror comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies. However, the movie primarily focuses on Bee (Maria Bakalova) and her girlfriend, Sophie (Amandla Stenberg). Because Bee doesn’t come from wealth like Sophie does, she feels out of place at a hurricane party held at a remote mansion.
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To pass the time, the group of friends plays a murder in the dark mystery game they call Bodies Bodies Bodies. It’s all in good fun until there’s an actual dead body in their midst, and the inescapable conclusion that the victim was killed by another guest. The group’s suspicion and paranoia are amped up to such a high level that they begin turning on each other. It’s a recipe for disaster that will only leave more of them dead before the party is over.
Bodies Bodies Bodies is streaming on HBO Max.
2. ‘The Smashing Machine’ (2025)
The Smashing Machine was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson‘s bid to get recognition for his serious performance and possibly an Oscar nomination. Audiences didn’t turn out in theaters, but Johnson did get good reviews for his portrayal of Mark Kerr, one of the influential MMA fighters during the early years of UFC.
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This story focuses on the complex relationship between Kerr and his on-and-off again girlfriend, Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt), as they just can’t get on the same page. Kerr’s drug use and relationship issues are holding him back in the ring, and he doesn’t always make the best choices. There are only so many second chances that Kerr will get to keep his dreams of glory alive, and it may cost him his bond with Staples.
The Smashing Machine will stream on HBO Max on January 23.
1. ‘John Wick: Chapter 2’ (2017)
The first three John Wick movies are on HBO Max this month, but since we’ve written so much about the original film, it’s time to look at John Wick: Chapter 2. John Wick was a sleeper hit in 2014 that was never intended to start a franchise, especially since the ending left Keanu Reeves‘ title character with a new lease on life. That conclusion is literally blown up in Chapter 2 when Santino D’Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio) demands that John repay a blood marker now that he’s back in the game.
Santino covets the seat on the High Table held by his sister, Gianna D’Antonio (Claudia Gerini), which is why he sends John to Rome to dispatch her. This is a no-win situation for John. If he completes the hit, Santino will instantly become one of the most powerful men in the world. And if John refuses, he’ll be marked for death himself. There are no easy solutions for John, but the action is just as exciting as always.
John Wick: Chapter 2 is streaming on HBO Max.
