Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise’s Sci-Fi Streaming Hit Is Officially Leaving HBO Max

1 week ago 20

Tim Robbins in Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds

Published Oct 14, 2026, 4:28 PM EDT

Chris is a Senior News Writer for Collider. He can be found in an IMAX screen, with his eyes watering and his ears bleeding for his own pleasure. He joined the news team in 2022 and accidentally fell upwards into a senior position despite his best efforts.

For reasons unknown, he enjoys analyzing box office receipts, giant sharks, and has become known as the go-to man for all things Bosch, Mission: Impossible and Christopher Nolan in Collider's news division. Recently, he found himself yeehawing along to the Dutton saga on the Yellowstone Ranch.

He is proficient in sarcasm, wit, Photoshop and working unfeasibly long hours. Amongst his passions sit the likes of the history of the Walt Disney Company, the construction of theme parks, steam trains and binge-watching Gilmore Girls with a coffee that is just hot enough to scald him.

His obsession with the Apple TV+ series Silo is the subject of mockery within the Senior News channel, where his feelings about Taylor Sheridan's work are enough to make his fellow writers roll their eyes.

There are few stars who know what audiences want more than the man, the myth, the legend, that is Tom Cruise. Even though we've basically seen him do everything and survive, the man has a remarkable ability to put himself in situations we know he'll make it out of and yet have us still terrified. And in this sci-fi epic, he's the ultimate everyman doing the one thing we're all programmed to do: run for our damned lives from aliens.

Two decades later, War of the Worlds remains one of the most relentless alien invasion movies ever made, but fans now have a limited window to catch it on HBO Max in the United States, with the streaming service officially preparing to remove the movie from its library. The 2005 blockbuster remains one of Cruise and Steven Spielberg's most underrated modern films, and its departure means subscribers will need to find another home for the sci-fi thriller.

Inspired by H.G. Wells’ classic sci-fi novel, War of the Worlds follows divorced dockworker Ray Ferrier, whose weekend with his two children becomes a desperate fight for survival after Earth is invaded by colossal alien Tripods. But the twist is that, rather than focusing on the military or government response like, say, Independence Day, this story is told almost entirely from the perspective of Cruise and his family as he desperately tries to keep them alive.

The film stars Dakota Fanning (The Watchers) as Rachel Ferrier, Justin Chatwin (Another Life) as Robbie Ferrier, Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings: The War for the Rohirrim) as Mary Ann, Tim Robbins (Silo) as Harlan Ogilvy, and Rick Gonzalez (Arrow) as Vincent.

Was 'War of the Worlds' a Success?

A global invasion-level success, actually. The movie hit huge, and it grossed over $600 million worldwide against a reported budget of $132 million, so that made it one of 2005's biggest hits. As for the critical response, it was well received, with 76% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes finding it well worth their time, while the audience score was slightly lower, at 71%. Critics were particularly taken with the nerve-shredding direction, Cruise's against-type, almost cowardly performance, and the stunning visual effects, which still hold up today. Not to mention the horrible noise the Tripods make.

War of the Worlds is leaving HBO Max in the United States, although it remains available to stream on other platforms, including MGM+. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates.