
One of the biggest selling points for HBO Max is that it offers exclusive access to every film from Studio Ghibli, the legendary Japanese filmmakers behind My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away—and that includes a brand new one dropping in February, Earwig and the Witch (Feb. 12).
This film is a big deal for Studio Ghibli for a few reasons. It’s their first feature since 2014's When Marnie Was There; the company even shut down for a little while in the interim, before co-founder Hayao Miyazaki decided to come out of retirement to make one last film. Earwig isn’t that, though—this one is actually directed by Miyazaki’s son, Goro, who previously took the reins for Tales from Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill. It’s based on a book by the late British author Diana Wynne Jones, who also provided the source material for the elder Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle, and it marks the studio’s first foray into Pixar-style, fully computer-generated animation.
As a long-time Studio Ghibli obsessee, I admit I was a bit alarmed at the first still frames of the CGI protagonist, a young girl who, like many a fantasy orphan before her, discovers she has a magical destiny; the house style didn’t immediately seem to translate to three dimensions. Happily, the full trailer looks more promising, if still a little weird:
I’d rather it were another traditionally animated Ghibli masterwork, but for that, we’ll have to wait for Hayao Miyazaki’s next, pandemic-delayed production, How Do You Live? due out in Japan sometime this year. In the meantime, I’ll take what I can get.
There’s a lot of other good, exclusive stuff coming to the streaming service this month, including the delayed premiere of the film Judas and the Black Messiah (Feb. 12), and It’s a Sin (Feb. 18), an acclaimed new limited series from the creators of Queer as Folk about the early years of the AIDS pandemic. Superhero fans will appreciate the addition of a bunch of DC content, including all the missing Batman films and the animated series Justice League. And it’s worth noting that sci-fi fans got a treat earlier this week with the surprise late-January addition of the complete, remastered ‘90s cult series Babylon 5.
Here’s the list of everything coming to (and leaving) HBO Max in February 2021. Titles with (HBO) next to them are available on HBO and HBO Max; everything else is exclusive to HBO Max.
What’s coming to HBO Max in February 2021
- Close Enough, Season 2 Premiere
- Esme & Roy, Max Original Series Season 2D Premiere
February 1
- All Good Things, 2010 (HBO)
- The Amityville Horror, 1979 (HBO)
- The Amityville Horror, 2005 (HBO)
- American Style
- The Apparition, 2012 (HBO)
- Austin Powers in Goldmember, 2002
- Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, 1997
- Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, 1999
- Backdraft, 1991 (HBO)
- Batman, 1989
- Batman Returns, 1992
- Batman & Robin, 1997
- Batman Forever, 1995
- Batman: The Brave and the Bold
- Be Cool, 2005 (HBO)
- Blade Runner: The Final Cut, 2007
- Butter, 2012 (HBO)
- Captain Blood, 1935
- Chewing Gum
- Death Row Stories, Season 5
- Deep Down, 2021 (HBO)
- Drumline, 2002 (Extended Version) (HBO)
- The Four Feathers, 2002 (HBO)
- Get A Job, 2016 (HBO)
- Get Shorty, 1995 (HBO)
- Getting Even With Dad, 1994 (HBO)
- Ghoulies II, 1987 (HBO)
- Ghoulies, 1985 (HBO)
- Giant, 1956
- The Graduate, 1967
- Growing Up Milwaukee, 2020
- Head of the Class
- The Investigation, Limited Series Premiere (HBO)
- Jacob’s Ladder, 1990 (HBO)
- Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday, 1993 (HBO)
- Justice League
- Justice League Unlimited
- La Deuda, 2021 (HBO)
- Lars And The Real Girl, 2007 (HBO)
- The Last Exorcism, 2010 (Extended Version) (HBO)
- Lay The Favorite, 2012 (HBO)
- Life Of Pi, 2012 (HBO)
- Love & Basketball, 2000
- The Lucky One, 2012 (HBO)
- Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, 1983
- Man of Steel, 2013
- The Matrix, 1999
- The Matrix Reloaded, 2003
- The Matrix Revolutions, 2003
- Monkey Shines, 1988 (HBO)
- Murder On The Orient Express, 1974 (HBO)
- My Bloody Valentine 3-D, 2009 (HBO)
- The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter, 1991 (HBO)
- Outbreak, 1995
- Pathfinder, 2007 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
- Presumed Innocent, 1990
- Raw Deal, 1986 (HBO)
- Robot Chicken, Season 10B
- Safe House, 2012 (HBO)
- Saw, 2004 (Extended Version) (HBO)
- Saw II, 2005 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
- Saw III, 2006 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
- Saw IV, 2007 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
- Saw V, 2008 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
- Saw VI, 2009 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
- Saw: The Final Chapter, 2010 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
- Selena, 1997
- The Shadow, 1994 (HBO)
- Sling Blade, 1996 (HBO)
- Stop-Loss, 2008 (HBO)
- Sunshine Cleaning, 2009 (HBO)
- The Goonies, 1985
- The Tank, 2017 (HBO)
- This Must Be The Place, 2012 (HBO)
- Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, 2011 (HBO)
- Training Day, 2001
- Unforgiven, 1992
- United Shades of America, Season 5
- Up In The Air, 2009 (HBO)
- Wildcats, 1986 (HBO)
- Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, 1971
February 2
- A Rodeo Film, ABFF HBO Short Film Competition Finalist (HBO)
- A Storybook Ending, ABFF HBO Short Film Competition Finalist (HBO)
- Black Boy Joy, ABFF HBO Short Film Competition Finalist (HBO)
- The Cypher, ABFF HBO Short Film Competition Finalist (HBO)
- Dolapo Is Fine, ABFF HBO Short Film Competition Winner (HBO)
- Fake Famous, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
February 3
- Tacoma FD, Season 2
February 4
- Haute Dog (S1C), Max Original Series
- Selena + Chef, Season 2 Finale
February 5
- Aquaman , 2018
- Earwig and the Witch (Studio Ghibli Premiere), 2021
- In Other Words, 2021 (HBO)
- Vengeance: Killer Coworkers
- Vengeance: Killer Lovers
- Vengeance: Killer Neighbors
February 6
- Irresistible, 2020 (HBO)
- The Windsors: Inside the Royal Dynasty, 2019
February 7
- We Bare Bears: The Movie, 2020
February 9
- Black Art: In the Absence of Light, 2021 (HBO)
- Gen:Lock, Season 1
February 10
- C.B. Strike: Lethal White, Season Finale (HBO)
February 11
- There Is No “I” In Threesome, HBO Max Documentary Premiere
February 12
- Dunkirk, 2017 (HBO)
- El Inconveniente (One Careful Owner), 2021 (HBO)
- Havana Street Party Presents: Beatriz Luengo (HBO)
- Judas and the Black Messiah, Film Premiere, 2021
- Very Scary People, Season 2
February 13
- The Book of Eli, 2010 (HBO)
February 14
- The Lady And The Dale, Documentary Series Finale (HBO)
- Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Season 8 Premiere (HBO)
February 15
- 30 Coins, Season Finale (HBO)
- The Batman
- Food Wars! The Fourth Plate (Dubbed) (Crunchyroll Collection)
- Hot Ones, Season 1
- Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President, 2020
- Static Shock
February 18
- Arthur’s Law (Dubbed), Max Original Series Premiere
- Ben 10, Season 4B
- It’s a Sin, Max Original Limited Series Premiere
February 19
- The Killer Truth, Season 1
February 10
- Argo, 2012 (Extended Version) (HBO)
February 22
- Beartown, Series Premiere (HBO)
February 23
- Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel (HBO)
February 26
- Blade Runner 2049, 2017 (HBO)
- Lupe, 2021 (HBO)
- Painting With John, Season Finale (HBO)
- Tom & Jerry, Film Premiere, 2021
February 27
- Bill And Ted’s Bogus Journey, 1991 (HBO)
- Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure, 1989 (HBO)
- How It Really Happened, Season 5
What’s leaving HBO Max in February 2021
February 5
- Storks, 2016 (HBO)
February 15
- Little, 2019 (HBO)
February 20
- The Conjuring, 2013
February 22
- Us, 2019 (HBO)
February 28
- American Pie, 1999 (HBO)
- The Astronaut’s Wife, 1999
- Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, 2012 (HBO)
- Blow-Up, 1966
- Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, 2005
- Chinatown, 1974
- Cold Mountain, 2003 (HBO)
- Congo, 1995 (HBO)
- Cowboys & Aliens, 2011 (Unrated Version) (HBO)
- Crazy Rich Asians, 2018
- The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, 2008 (HBO)
- The Descendants, 2011 (HBO)
- The Devil Inside, 2012 (HBO)
- Dick Tracy, 1990 (HBO)
- Doctor Sleep, 2020 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
- Dolphin Tale, 2011
- G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra, 2009
- Gangs Of New York, 2002 (HBO)
- The Good Liar, 2019 (HBO)
- Gun Crazy, 1950
- Happy Feet Two, 2011 (HBO)
- Harriet, 2019 (HBO)
- I Think I Love My Wife, 2007 (HBO)
- Idiocracy, 2006 (HBO)
- Lean On Me, 1989
- The Legend Of Bagger Vance, 2000
- Life, 1999 (HBO)
- The Little Things, 2021
- Logan’s Run, 1976
- Lola Versus, 2012 (HBO)
- Motherless Brooklyn, 2019 (HBO)
- Muriel’s Wedding, 1995 (HBO)
- The Mustang, 2019 (HBO)
- My Dream Is Yours, 1949
- The Omega Man, 1971
- On Moonlight Bay, 1951
- The Sitter, 2011 (Unrated Version) (HBO)
- Soldier, 1998
- Soylent Green, 1973
- Spies Like Us, 1985
- Stephen King’s Needful Things, 1993
- Tango & Cash, 1989
- Teen Witch, 1989 (HBO)
- Westworld (Movie), 1973
- Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, 1971
DISCUSSION
Oh good, the Batman movies are back on the service for what, another month before they randomly drop off again? Not going to lie, pretty excited to see The Brave and the Bold on here.
Also:
Is this the good cut? I have never been able to keep them straight.