8 new shows and movies streaming on HBO Max in June


Get ready for a documentary-heavy month on HBO Max, with new and returning original shows and some delectable movies making their streaming debuts. Whether you’re craving epic fantasy, sharp comedy, or prestige indie films, the platform has plenty of new content to satiate your desires.

While viewers are in for plenty of entertainment — including a unique new Larry David comedy series produced alongside Barack Obama — our top pick is the penultimate season of hit fantasy series House of the Dragon.

8

Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult

A true-crime-style docuseries about a little-known cult in the supermodel world

Kicking off the month on HBO Max is the new original docuseries Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult, which uses the story of one of the first male supermodels of the 1980s to expose a little-known cult that ran rampant throughout the industry.

The three-episode show chronicles Hoyt Richards, who, at just 16 years old, meets an enigmatic Manhattan socialite on a Nantucket beach and is sucked into his spiritual group, Eternal Values. Not long after, Richards ascends to fame, and the cult-like group’s larger-than-life leader, Frederick von Mierers, leverages the glamorous world of 1980s New York to prey upon a community of young models and professionals. With his New Age cocktail of metaphysical and spiritual teachings, von Mierers seduces and entangles them in a web of lies and exploitation.

Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult debuts June 1. New episodes will roll out weekly through June 15.


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Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult


Release Date

2026 – 2026-00-00

Network

HBO

Directors

Chris Smith




7

How to Make a Killing

A dark revenge thriller with comedic flair

Glen Powell (Twisters), Margaret Qualley (The Substance), and Ed Harris (Pollock) star in How to Make a Killing, a dark comedy revenge thriller that also features performances by Zach Woods (Silicon Valley), Jessica Henwick (Game of Thrones), and Topher Grace (That ‘70s Show).

Disowned at birth by his obscenely wealthy family, Becket Redfellow (Powell) grows to become a blue-collar man who will stop at nothing to reclaim his inheritance, no matter how many relatives stand in his way.

How to Make a Killing debuts June 19.

6

Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness

A parody of famous American milestones

Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness is written by Larry David, which he executive produces alongside Barack and Michelle Obama. The former president and first lady wanted to honor America’s 250th anniversary and celebrate its history, but then Larry David called.

Instead of standard, celebratory historical retrospectives, the seven-episode show parodies famous civic and historical milestones by injecting David’s signature brand of annoyance, social awkwardness, and self-serving behavior into the events. It also features a mix of Curb Your Enthusiasm veterans alongside noteworthy guest stars, including Bill Hader, Kathryn Hahn, Jon Hamm, Sean Hayes, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, and J.B. Smoove.

Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness debuts June 26. New episodes will debut weekly through August 7.


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Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness


Release Date

June 26, 2026

Network

HBO

Directors

Jeff Schaffer




5

Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World)

From vinyl to viral

Per the official logline, acclaimed producer, director, and musician Ahmir Thompson, aka Questlove, tells the story of the legendary nine-time Grammy Award-winning band Earth, Wind & Fire.

In tracing the band’s genesis through late founding member Maurice White, the series chronicles their evolution, highs and lows, and relevance from the 1970s into the present day. It also explores the deep philosophical and spiritual meaning behind their message and music.

Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World) debuts June 7.


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Earth, Wind & Fire: To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World


Release Date

June 3, 2026

Runtime

119 minutes

Director

Questlove




4

The Welcome Table

Where communities gather in solidarity

Screenshot of The Welcome Table documentary. Credit: Keeley Brooks/How-To Geek | Josh Fox

Directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Josh Fox (Gasland), The Welcome Table is an original documentary telling the story of climate refugees across six continents.

The film celebrates the voices and experiences of people living at the forefront of the climate crisis, displaced from their homes by climate disasters. Featuring John Boutté, John Cameron Mitchell, and celebrated New Orleans musicians, it weaves together stories of migration and resilience through music, performance, and the installation of a 1,000-foot table along the New Orleans levee, where communities gather in conversation, solidarity, and celebration.

The Welcome Table debuts June 23.

3

Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story

The first unofficial influencer

Screenshot of The Robin Byrd Show via Tribeca Films. Credit: Keeley Brooks/How-To Geek | Tribeca Films

Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story is a new HBO original documentary celebrating a woman who defied expectations and remains a pioneer in the world of content creation as well as a cult icon. Byrd, an iconic former adult film actress, was also a pioneering host on cable access television.

Before the internet and the ubiquity of social media influencers, there was Robin Byrd, a spirited, anything-goes New York City public access host, clad only in her signature black crochet bikini. From 1977 to 1998, Byrd created, produced, and hosted a late-night call-in show that incorporated performances and interviews with adult entertainers and experimental artists. Each show ended with a bawdy song and dance, turning her unapologetic, eponymous show into a national platform for sex positivity, free speech, and a joyful approach to adult entertainment.

Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story debuts June 30.

2

Pillion

Alexander Skarsgård in a different type of romantic comedy

Making its streaming debut exclusively on HBO Max, Pillion is a dark, romantic dramedy led by the versatile Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood). The A24 movie is based on the novella Box Hill: A Story of Low Self-Esteem by Adam Mars-Jones.

Colin (Harry Potter’s Harry Melling) is a shy, directionless man. When he meets Ray (Skarsgård), a charming, confident leader of a gay biker gang, he’s swept off his feet and initiated into a submissive relationship that challenges his mundane existence. While Colin initially finds fulfillment in this new lifestyle, his relationship with Ray soon becomes more complex and prompts intense personal growth through their unconventional dynamic.

Pillion makes its streaming debut June 5.

1

House of the Dragon season 3

It’s time for an all-out war in Westeros

HBO original House of the Dragon returns for an epic penultimate season that is, according to Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell), “a blitz straight out of the gate.”

Season 3 of the fantasy series is slated to bring us the war that has been building for two seasons. The season premiere kicks off with the Battle of the Gullet, one of the most violent sea battles in the history of this fantasy world. Its scarring aftermath will reportedly carry both the Greens — supporters of King Aegon’s (Tom Glynn-Carney) claim to the Iron Throne — and the Blacks — supporters of Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) — through to the inevitable conclusion. We’ll see a conflict that has been primarily interpersonal and intrafamily explode across the realm as a whole, so buckle up for some no-holds-barred, exciting action.​​​​​​​

House of the Dragon season 3 debuts June 21. New episodes will roll out weekly through August 9.


Don’t miss out

For a full list of everything coming to HBO Max this month, be sure to check out the streamer’s June lineup.

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Recent Reviews


When it comes to content, there’s little I love more than a good, gritty crime drama. From their dark, cynical, often realistic portrayals of criminal underworlds, violence, and justice systems to their heavily flawed, obsessed, anti-hero protagonists and intense, gritty tones, it all sucks us in, and it’s why we can’t look away. These types of criminal shows have carved out a powerful space in television by refusing to glamorize the worlds they depict and being willing to confront uncomfortable truths.

This weekend on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S., we’re exploring three immensely popular, critically acclaimed criminal shows that will hook you from the get-go with their honesty, and my top pick is a must-see that reinvented the police procedural genre.

3

City on a Hill

A Wire-like look at corruption, race, and justice

Based on a story by Ben Affleck and author Charlie MacLean, the underrated crime drama City on a Hill revisits a charged moment in Massachusetts history known as The Boston Miracle. For 18 months in the mid-90s, gang-related violence dropped 63% as the result of a community-wide initiative developed in collaboration with the Boston Police Department, street workers, juvenile corrections officers, churches, and neighborhood programs. Kevin Bacon (Footloose), Aldis Hodge (Cross), and Jonathan Tucker (Kingdom) headline the cast.

Set in early 1990s Boston, corruption, violent criminals, and racism are normal parts of life, and to make matters worse, they’re backed by local law enforcement agencies. The series focuses on an unlikely alliance between hardened, corrupt, charismatic FBI agent Jackie Rohr (Bacon) and idealistic Assistant District Attorney Decourcy Ward (Hodge) as they work together to navigate the city and take down a family of armored car thieves, aiming to overhaul the broken criminal justice system.



















Quiz
8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge

Prime Video movies
Trivia challenge

From thrillers to tearjerkers — see how well you know these Amazon Prime Video films.

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In Crime 101, what profession does the main character use as cover while pulling off elaborate heists?

That’s right! The protagonist poses as a real estate agent, using the job’s access and mobility as a convenient front for criminal activity. The film plays with how ordinary professions can mask extraordinary deception.

Not quite — the correct answer is real estate agent. The film uses this cover cleverly, showing how a respectable-seeming profession can provide the perfect camouflage for a career criminal operating in plain sight.

In Saltburn, which prestigious English university does protagonist Oliver Quick attend when he befriends Felix Catton?

Correct! Oliver and Felix meet at Oxford, where the stark class divide between scholarship student Oliver and the aristocratic Felix is immediately established. That university setting is crucial to the film’s themes of privilege and obsession.

Not quite — it’s Oxford where Oliver and Felix first cross paths. Director Emerald Fennell deliberately chose Oxford’s world of old money and social stratification to set up the film’s exploration of class envy and manipulation.

In The Tender Bar, based on J.R. Moehringer’s memoir, who plays Uncle Charlie, the bartender who becomes a father figure to young J.R.?

Spot on! Ben Affleck plays the warm and charismatic Uncle Charlie, earning considerable praise for the role. Affleck’s performance was seen as one of the film’s greatest strengths, bringing real depth to a man who shapes a fatherless boy’s entire worldview.

The correct answer is Ben Affleck. His portrayal of Uncle Charlie was widely praised as a career highlight, capturing the rough charm of a bartender who becomes the most important male role model in J.R.’s life.

In the 2024 Prime Video remake of Road House, who plays ex-UFC fighter Elwood Dalton, the new bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse?

That’s right! Jake Gyllenhaal steps into the role made famous by Patrick Swayze, playing a disgraced MMA fighter hired to clean up a rowdy bar in the Florida Keys. Gyllenhaal underwent intense physical training to prepare for the action-heavy role.

The correct answer is Jake Gyllenhaal. He took on the iconic role previously played by Patrick Swayze in the 1989 original, with the remake shifting the setting from Missouri to the Florida Keys and updating the protagonist’s fighting background to MMA.

Thirteen Lives depicts the dramatic 2018 rescue of a youth soccer team trapped in a cave in which country?

Correct! The film recreates the harrowing rescue of the Wild Boars youth soccer team from the Tham Luang cave in Thailand. The real-life operation captivated the world and involved expert cave divers from across the globe.

The answer is Thailand. The real rescue took place in the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai province, where 12 boys and their coach were trapped for 18 days before a multinational team of divers managed to bring them all out safely.

In Manchester by the Sea, what unexpected event forces Lee Chandler to return to his hometown and become guardian of his teenage nephew?

That’s right! Lee’s brother Joe dies suddenly from congestive heart failure, pulling Lee back to a town filled with painful memories. Casey Affleck won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the grief-stricken, emotionally closed-off Lee.

Not quite — Lee returns because his brother Joe dies of congestive heart failure. The film, written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, won two Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay, and is celebrated for its unflinching portrayal of grief and guilt.

In American Fiction, what pen name does frustrated author Thelonious ‘Monk’ Ellison use when he writes a satirical novel pandering to racial stereotypes?

Correct! Monk writes his outrageous satirical manuscript under the pseudonym Stagg R. Leigh, a name that itself plays on stereotypes. The film, based on Percival Everett’s novel Erasure, won Cord Jefferson the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

The pen name Monk uses is Stagg R. Leigh. The choice of pseudonym is itself part of the satire — a name loaded with cultural baggage. Jeffrey Wright received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his nuanced portrayal of Monk.

In Air, the film about Nike signing Michael Jordan, which actress plays Jordan’s mother Deloris, who plays a pivotal role in negotiating his landmark deal?

That’s right! Viola Davis plays Deloris Jordan with commanding presence, portraying her as the savvy negotiator who helped secure the revolutionary contract that gave Michael unprecedented royalties. The real Deloris Jordan is widely credited with shaping the deal that changed sports marketing forever.

The correct answer is Viola Davis. She received widespread praise for capturing the intelligence and determination of Deloris Jordan, whose behind-the-scenes negotiations were instrumental in creating the Air Jordan brand that would go on to generate billions of dollars.

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Expect a thick atmosphere of 90s Boston authenticity, compelling power dynamics, character-driven narratives, and exceptional acting, particularly from Bacon, who gives a career-best performance. The show offers a serious, slow-burn exploration of one city’s criminal justice system while blending police corruption with family drama and social issues. Though fictionalized, it’s a fascinating look at Boston’s transition from a corrupt era to a new system and is executive produced by Affleck and Matt Damon.

2

River

A traditional “whodunit” investigation

Boasting a perfect critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, River is a six-part British police procedural and psychological crime drama about a haunted detective investigating his partner’s murder while also struggling with his mental health. Stellan Skarsgård (Good Will Hunting) and Nicola Walker (Unforgotten) star.

Detective Inspector John River (Skarsgård) is brilliant at what he does, but his fractured mind keeps him trapped between the living and the dead, haunted by “manifests,” or visions of murder victims, including his recently deceased partner, Stevie. Under enormous pressure from the media and psychiatric evaluation for his hallucinations, River works hard to navigate his guilt and, in the process, discovers the shocking truth about Stevie’s death.

Unlike typical crime shows, River focuses heavily on its protagonist’s mental states in the wake of his criminal experiences. The slow-burn, dramatic crime thriller is characterized by intense psychological scenes, a traditional “whodunit” investigation, and a masterful performance from Skarsgård. Expect a deeply human study of loss with smart writing, a genuinely creepy atmosphere, and a unique, emotional take on the police procedural drama.

1

The Shield

One of the best cop shows ever made

One of this century’s best crime dramas, The Shield is a multi-Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award winner. Michael Chiklis (The Commish), Walton Goggins (The White Lotus), Kenny Johnson (Ray), and Michael Jace (The Replacements) star alongside an enormous cast that includes Forest Whitaker, Katey Sagal, Kurt Sutter, CCH Pounder, Glenn Close, Benito Martinez, and more.

The hit FX show follows the corrupt activities of rogue cop Vic Mackey (Chiklis) in an experimental criminal division task force of the Los Angeles Police Department. He’ll go to any lengths to take down the criminals he and his team are chasing, including breaking the law and working with other criminals, and eventually he ropes his team into doing the same. Everything is set in a district rife with gang-related violence, drug trafficking, and prostitution.

Highly regarded for reinventing the police procedural and setting the standard for modern anti-hero dramas, the show paved the way for “prestige” television on basic cable with its raw, unflinching tone full of twists and thrills that explores the fine line between right and wrong. Over the course of 88 episodes, you’ll experience fast-paced action, moral ambiguity, high-stakes tension, and more riveting, gritty crime drama in one continuously solid storyline than you can stand. When viewing turns to obsession, don’t say I didn’t warn you. This one is a true gem.


Each of these hit criminal shows stands out for its realism and complexity, offering a much darker, thought-provoking take on crime storytelling that burrows into our brains and leaves us craving more. The platform has plenty of excellent crime dramas to choose from, so once you finish these three, stick around and see what else is there to transport you to the criminal underworld. Before you leave, though, be sure to check out everything coming to Prime Video in May 2026.

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