No one in Pittsburgh is getting a quiet holiday shift. “The Pitt,” the breakout HBO Max medical drama from creator R. Scott Gemmill, is heading back into the emergency department pressure cooker, and HBO Max has dropped the first clip from Season 2 for the 13-time Emmy-nominated series ahead of its January 2026 return.

READ MORE: Fall & Winter 2025 TV Preview: 45 Series To Watch

Set once again at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, the show’s real-time structure — each episode covering one hour of a single 15-hour shift — remains its calling card.

Continue reading ‘The Pitt’ Sneak Peek Teaser: Emmy-Winning Medical Drama Cranks Up July 4 ER Chaos In Season 2 at The Playlist.

Jason Schwartzman has built his career playing lovable weirdos, and in “Mountainhead,” HBO’s latest dark comedy from “Succession” creator Jesse Armstrong, he might’ve out-weirded himself. In a movie full of bizarre billionaires gathered in a glass mansion to decide the future of humanity, Schwartzman’s character—Souper, a.k.a. Hugo Van Yalk—is both the sweetest and the most hilariously clueless of the bunch.

In a new episode of The Discourse, Schwartzman joined the podcast to talk about working with Armstrong, filming in a surreal seven-story house, his thoughts on revisiting past characters, and the unexpected reason we haven’t heard a new Coconut Records album yet.

Continue reading ‘Mountainhead’: Jason Schwartzman Talks Jesse Armstrong, Satirizing Billionaires, Working With Wes Anderson, & The Future Of Coconut Records [The Discourse Podcast] at The Playlist.

Having recently appeared in Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things,” and the Sundance dramedy “On The Count Of Three,” Emmy-winning comedian Jerrod Carmichael’s career as an actor is still growing and evolving. But the funny man’s bread and butter is still stand-up comedy which he does so well at. So, he’s returning to the stage for his fourth HBO stand-up special, “Don’t Be Gay” later this month.

Continue reading ‘Don’t Be Gay’ Trailer: Jerrod Carmichael’s New Comedy Special Debuts May 24 at The Playlist.

J.J. Abrams’ mega-deal with HBO and Max, rumored to be north of $300 million didn’t amount to much—certainly none of the DC Comics content he had planned—but one show that did come out of that initial deal was the ‘70s getaway car driver crime thriller “Duster” re-teaming Abrams with “Lost” star Josh Holloway.

READ MORE: The 75 Most Anticipated TV Shows Of 2025

Max has now released the official trailer for ‘”Duster,” which was co-created by Abrams and co-showrunner LaToya Morgan, debuting Thursday, May 15 at 9:00 p.m.

Continue reading ‘Duster’ Trailer: Josh Holloway Stars In J.J. Abrams ‘70s-Set Getaway Driver Crime Thriller Coming To Max In May at The Playlist.

A belated catch-up on MAX’s “The Pitt” that took viewers by surprise and storm this late winter and spring.

Take a moment, if possible, to imagine the worst scenario that could potentially unfold within the confines of any hospital’s emergency medicine wing. Think of how the professionals on staff would respond at the moment. Realize, perhaps most critically, that once everything’s been (hopefully) handled well, these tireless souls take a beat, move on to the next, and do it again, countless times over.

Continue reading ‘The Pitt’ Review: Max’s Engrossing Medical Drama Is ‘ER’ Meets ‘24’ With A Little ‘Industry’ at The Playlist.

Miss “Succession“? Well, good news: HBO and Jesse Armstrong have a new tale about uber-rich ready for HBO and Max subscribers next month, with an all-star cast led by Steve Carell.

READ MORE: ‘Succession’ Creator Jesse Armstrong Making Feature Debut With Billionaire-Centric Film Starring Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman & More At HBO

The first-look for “Mountainhead” doesn’t give away much, but the original film follows a group of billionaire friends who shack up together at a remote chateau for a hang, and to discuss an imminent global crisis.

Continue reading ‘Mountainhead’ First Look: Jesse Armstrong Feature Directorial Debut About A Billionaire Vacation Hits HBO & Max On May 31 at The Playlist.

Need a new crime series to binge this Spring? Well, Max and J.J. Abrams may have you covered there, as “Duster” is set to hit the streamer in two months.

READ MORE: The 75 Most Anticipated TV Shows Of 2025

Set in the 1970s American Southwest, “Duster” follows a gutsy getaway driver whose dangerous lifestyle gets even more risky when an agent arrives to take down the local crime family.

Continue reading ‘Duster’ Trailer: New Period Crime Series From J.J. Abrams Hits Max On May 15 at The Playlist.

Date it: the fourth and final season of Danny McBride‘s hilarious HBO series “The Righteous Gemstones” will premiere in March. “The final chapter is at hand,” as Season 4’s slogan goes, and the show’s last nine episodes should be quite the culmination.

READ MORE: The 75 Most Anticipated TV Shows Of 2025

McBride returns to star in the final batch of episodes as the Gemstones face an uncertain future after the fallout from Season 3.

Continue reading ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Season 4 Teaser: The Final Season Of Danny McBride’s Hit Comedy Premieres On HBO On March 9 at The Playlist.

Since its premiere in 2017, the “C.B. Strike” series (known simply as “Strike” across the pond) has become one of BBC One‘s most popular series. And for good reason: “Furiosa” star Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger make an engaging lead duo as a private detective and his business partner who work together to solve crimes that elude London’s police.

Continue reading ‘C.B. Strike: The Ink Black Heart’ Trailer: The Sixth Series Of The Hit BBC One Show Premieres On HBO & Max On January 23 at The Playlist.

As we approach the end of 2024, it’s time to look ahead at what’s coming next year. And for HBO and Max, there’s quite a bit of noteworthy series arriving. As seen in the new sizzle reel of 2025 series, it looks like there’s quite a bit to be excited about coming to HBO and Max. 

READ MORE: Walton Goggins Celebrates ‘Fallout’ & Says ‘White Lotus’ Season 3 Is “A Seismic Consciousness Shift”

As for the biggest series in the sizzle reel, we’ve got fresh looks at “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” “The White Lotus” Season 3, “Peacemaker” Season 2, and “The Last of Us” Season 2.

Continue reading Max 2025 Sizzle Reel: Here’s New Looks At ‘The White Lotus,’ ‘Peacemaker’ & ‘A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms’ at The Playlist.

After the box office success of “Dune: Part Two” earlier this year, it’s a matter of when, not if, Denis Villeneuve completes his planned filmic triptych with a “Dune: Messiah” adaptation. But fans of Frank Herbert‘s original novel know that “Messiah” jumps ahead in time a bit before its events unfold. That means Villeneuve ideally must wait for Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya & co.

Continue reading ‘Dune: Prophecy’ NYCC Trailer: ‘Dune’ Prequel Series Premieres On HBO & Max On November 17 at The Playlist.

The latest episode of “The Penguin” ended with quite the twist, one that sees Cristin Milioti‘s Sofia Falcone as the new frontrunner to take over Gotham’s underworld. But Sofia’s not only out for revenge against her family: she also wants to take down Colin Farrell‘s Oz Cobb, who murdered her brother and deceived her constantly after her release from Arkham Asylum.

READ MORE: Fall 2024 TV Preview: 40+ Series To Watch

HBO‘s exclusive new mid-season trailer for New York Comic-Con lets audiences know what’s on Sofia’s mind.   “We kill Oz, then we take over the city,” she tells her henchmen.

Continue reading ‘The Penguin’ Mid-Season Trailer: Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone Takes Over As Max Series Hits Halfway Point at The Playlist.

Though there is clearly less of an emphasis put on making Max Original series, there are still some out there, including the hit comedy series, “The Sex Lives of College Girls.” 

READ MORE: Fall 2024 TV Preview: 40 Must-See Series To Watch

And as seen in the new teaser, Season 3 of “The Sex Lives of College Girls” continues to show you the debauchery that a group of young women find themselves involved in.

Continue reading ‘The Sex Lives Of College Girls’ Season 3 Teaser: Max’s Comedy Series Returns In November at The Playlist.

In the grand tradition of “The Godfather” and “Scarface,” similarly modernistic versions influenced by the same works like James Gray’s early New York crime films and augmented by the dilapidated layer of grimy bleakness derived from “The Batman” franchise, Matt Reeves’ “The Penguin,” is a bruising dramatic crime tragedy about the myth of the American dream and its modern decay.

Continue reading ‘The Penguin’ Review: Colin Farrell Leads A Dark, Tragic Tale About The Decay Of The American Dream at The Playlist.

With “The Penguin” with Colin Farrell premiering on Max next Friday, there’s plenty of buzz swirling about Matt Reeves‘ follow-up to 2022’s “The Batman.” Fans already know it hits theaters on October 2, 2026, but Reeves and Warner Bros. have remained quiet about anything else about the film (outside of Farrell reprising his role as Ozwald Cobblepot). For instance, will Zoë Kravitz‘s Catwoman be back?

Continue reading ‘The Batman Part II’: Matt Reeve Reassures Fans That He’s Making A Trilogy: “Yes, That Is Still The Plan” at The Playlist.

At long last, Gary Dauberman‘s “Salem’s Lot” will reach audiences when it premieres on Max next month. But what took Warner Bros. so long to release it? The Stephen King adaptation from the “Annabelle” and “The Nun” director was shot nearly three years ago after being announced by New Line in April 2019.

Continue reading ‘Salem’s Lot’ Trailer: Lewis Pullman Stars In ’70s-Set Stephen King Adaptation Hitting Max On October 3 at The Playlist.

M. Night Shyamalan is back on the Hollywood map thanks to “Trap,” “Knock At The Cabin,” and his Apple TV+ series “Servant.” Now Max hopes his name will help launch a long-gestating movie to new heights. Shyamalan leads producers on “Caddo Lake,” a spooky upcoming thriller about mysterious disappearances around a lake on the Texas-Louisiana border.

Continue reading ‘Caddo Lake’ Trailer: Dylan O’Brien & Eliza Scanlen Star In Max’s Spooky New Thriller On October 10 at The Playlist.

While Matt Reeves made many good casting choices in his superhero film “The Batman,” the best of them might actually go to his version of The Penguin. Buried under a ton of prosthetics, looking absolutely unrecognizable, Colin Farrell brings to life one of Batman’s greatest villains. And now he’s getting his own show.

As revealed during today’s San Diego Comic-Con panel, we have our first look at a full trailer for the upcoming Max drama series, “The Penguin.” The trailer lays out the plot of the series, which finds Oz Cobb (Farrell) as he attempts to pick up the pieces of the Gotham underworld after the events of “The Batman.” 

READ MORE: ‘The Penguin’ Showrunner Calls Series “A Scarface Story” & A “Bridge” Between ‘Batman’ Films

The cast includes Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, Clancy Brown, James Madio, Scott Cohen, Michael Zegen, Carmen Ejogo, and Theo Rossi.

Continue reading ‘The Penguin’ Trailer: Colin Farrell’s ‘Batman’ Spin-Off Series Debuts September 19 at The Playlist.

The I.P. proverb remains true: if you’ve got a popular film brand, a spin-off on television seems inevitable. While it’s more than 20 years later, “City Of God: The Fight Rages On” is a spin-off series based on the Oscar-nominated “City Of God” crime thriller which launched the career of Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles (though it was also co-directed by Kátia Lund).

Continue reading ‘City Of God’ Trailer: ‘The Fight Rages On’ In New TV Spin-Off Of Beloved Oscar-Winning Film at The Playlist.

The era of Peak TV streaming has radically changed in the last few years. As we know, the pandemic compelled companies like Lucasfilm and Marvel to announce a rash of new series so Wall Street wouldn’t lose confidence in them. All other companies and streamers followed suit—the thinking being that with fewer theatrical movies available to consumers and Wall Street eyeing everything closely, a pivot to streaming content would say the day—including HBO and MAX.

Continue reading Matt Reeves’ ‘Arkham Asylum’ ‘Batman’ Spin-Off Series Gets Scrapped At MAX at The Playlist.

The 2024 Cannes Film Festival had its fair share of notable premieres, including Sean Baker‘s Palme d’Or winner “Anora” and Francis Ford Coppola‘s “Megalopolis,” among others. But a certain doc made waves in the Cannes Classics roster, quietly collecting a string of positive reviews. Now it’s time for HBO subscribers to catch up with “Faye,” Laurent Bouzereau‘s film about the life and career of Hollywood icon Faye Dunaway.  

Continue reading ‘Faye’ Trailer: HBO’s Doc About The Legendary Hollywood Actress Premieres On July 13 at The Playlist.

In this week’s episode of Bingeworthy, our TV and streaming podcast host Mike DeAngelo rides his dragon back to Westeros for “House of the Dragon.” The show premiered the first episode of season two on Max this past weekend and follows the internal war within House Targaryen 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. The show stars Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Fabien Frankel, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Ewan Mitchell, and more.

Continue reading ‘House Of The Dragon’: Showrunner, Ryan Condal Talks Season 2, & More [Bingeworthy Podcast] at The Playlist.

Never underestimate him. That’s the tagline to “The Penguin,” the next chapter in “The Batman” saga from writer/director-producer Matt Reeves. Academy Award nominee Colin Farrell reprises his role as The Penguin, Oswald Cobblepot, in the new Max Original Series coming this September to Max.

Developed by showrunner Lauren LeFranc (“Impulse,” “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Continue reading ‘The Penguin’ Trailer: 8 Episode ‘Batman’ Spin-Off Stars Colin Farrell This September at The Playlist.

It’s official: Pennywise will return in “Welcome To Derry.” Deadline reports that Bill Skarsgård, who played the evil entity that terrorizes the fictional Maine town, mostly in the form of a clown, will reprise his role from 2017’s “It” and its 2019 sequel “It Chapter Two” for Max‘s upcoming prequel series. Skarsgård will also serve as executive producer on the series, which Deadline confirms will be nine episodes.

Continue reading ‘Welcome To Derry’: Bill Skarsgård To Return As Pennywise The Clown In Max’s Upcoming Prequel Series at The Playlist.

Max‘s TV remake of the “Harry Potter” series won’t hit the streamer until 2026, which gives fans of the character plenty of time to speculate about the show. For instance, beyond rehashing a successful IP in a blatant cash-grab maneuver, why should this series exist? That’s a topic for another piece, however. A milder query would be about the potential involvement of the original Warner Bros.

Continue reading ‘Harry Potter’: Daniel Radcliffe Doesn’t Think He’ll Be Back For Upcoming Max Series: “I Don’t Know If It Would Work To Have Us” at The Playlist.