2026's Hottest R-Rated Horror Hit Locks Its HBO Max Streaming Debut Date

written by Craig Ellison

May 25, 2026 10:58 am

2026's Hottest R-Rated Horror Hit Locks Its HBO Max Streaming Debut Date — Image credit: Legion-Media

A24’s thriller Undertone hits HBO Max on June 26, anchoring the streamer’s June 2026 slate. Warner Bros. Discovery set the date in its May 21 programming rundown, with two more A24 films and major HBO Original premieres also on deck.

If you need something a little unnerving to spice up your June watchlist, A24's at it again, slipping out another thriller – this time with 'Undertone' heading straight to HBO Max. And no, this isn't your only option from the ever-busy indie darlings next month. It's all part of a pretty full (and honestly, slightly chaotic) June lineup, mixing up strange new films and returning heavyweights on the streamer.

'Undertone' Leads the Charge: Streaming Details

'Undertone', A24's latest attempt to keep us sleeping with the lights on, is dropping on June 26 over on HBO Max. This reveal comes buried in Warner Bros. Discovery's monthly spreadsheet of premieres (dated 21 May), and if you're keeping track, it means June's going to be bleak and busy for horror fans.

Not content with just one release, they've also bundled in two other A24 films for June, making it practically a mini-festival.

A24's Full June Slate on HBO Max

'Pillion' kicks things off on June 5. The casting's actually interesting: Harry Melling (yep, Dudley from 'Harry Potter') stars as a painfully shy bloke opposite Alexander Skarsgård as a mysterious biker. If that combo doesn't grab you, I'm not sure what will. Harry Lighton handles both writing and directing, with a production team stacked with Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Emma Norton, and Lee Groombridge.
'How to Make a Killing' lands next on June 19. This one follows Glen Powell as Becket Redfellow – that's not a typo, and yes, it's a classic rich-kid-gone-rogue story. The twist: he was apparently ‘disowned at birth by his obscenely wealthy family’ and ‘will stop at nothing to reclaim his inheritance’. Margaret Qualley, Jessica Henwick, Bill Camp, Zach Woods, Topher Grace, and Ed Harris fill out the cast (quite a line-up honestly). John Patton Ford wrote and directed it, with Graham Broadbent and Peter Czernin producing.
'Undertone' completes the set on June 26.

So that's three A24 originals in as many weeks. Buckle up.

Other Big HBO Max Highlights in June

It's not just about A24, though; HBO's got a few major swings coming this month too:

- 'House of the Dragon' (Season 3!) turns up for its usual weekly punch-up starting 21 June – that's eight episodes, in case you're the planning sort.
- There's a comedy debut, 'Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness', out on 26 June, launching the same day as 'Undertone'.
- For the doc fans, you get Questlove's 'Earth, Wind & Fire' on 7 June, alongside 'Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult' on 1 June and 'The Welcome Table' on 23 June. To close the month, 'Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story' lands on 30 June – and with a name like that, it's bound to raise a few eyebrows.
- Pride Month gets its due as well, with HBO Max rolling out a hand-picked LGBTQ+ collection starting 1 June.

Want the Quote?

"[Becket Redfellow] was disowned at birth by his obscenely wealthy family – and will stop at nothing to reclaim his inheritance."

Final Word

If you like your TV schedule loaded with new genres and the sort of A24 releases that'll have you second-guessing every creak at night, HBO Max's June lineup is absolutely coming for your free time. If nothing else – hats off for variety.