Underrated Hitchcockian Fairytale Film Quietly Heads to HBO Max

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The 2013 film Stoker, a suspenseful thriller often compared to the work of Alfred Hitchcock, is gaining renewed attention. Many viewers felt it didn’t receive enough recognition initially, but it will soon be available on , giving it a chance to reach a wider audience.

HBO Max has announced all the new titles coming to its platform. Starting next month, you’ll be able to stream the film Stoker. When it was released in theaters 13 years ago, Stoker barely broke even, earning a little over $12 million on a $12 million budget and failing to meet expectations. Since then, the movie has largely faded from public view.

Stoker Has Been Called “Disturbingly Good”

Rotten Tomatoes reports a 70% approval rating from critics and a 60% audience score for the film. Despite this, many critics and viewers believe it doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Renowned critic Richard Roeper praised it as “disturbingly good,” giving it 3.5 out of 4 stars, and numerous audience members have rated it a perfect 5 out of 5.

One viewer simply said, “Loved this movie!” They were disappointed by the current Rotten Tomatoes scores, suggesting it reflects poorly on society. They described the film as consistently unsettling and enjoyable, and wondered if subtitles might improve ratings, perhaps because some of the dialogue is hard to follow. Ultimately, they consider it a favorite.

Wentworth Miller, the actor famous for his role in Prison Break, wrote the screenplay. Park Chan-wook, known for The Handmaiden, directed the film, and Ridley Scott produced it with Tony Scott and Michael Costigan. The movie stars Mia Wasikowska (from Alice Through the Looking Glass), alongside Matthew Goode (The Crown), Nicole Kidman (Margo’s Got Money Troubles), Dermot Mulroney (Chicago Fire), Jacki Weaver (Yellowstone), Phyllis Somerville (The Outsiders), and Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story).

Stoker Is Coming to HBO Max in June

Stoker is a dark and atmospheric film that combines gothic horror with family drama. It centers on India Stoker, a young woman dealing with the recent death of her father on her 18th birthday and a complicated relationship with her emotionally fragile mother. Her life is further disrupted by the arrival of her enigmatic uncle, Charlie, whom she’s never met. As Charlie becomes part of the family, India begins to unravel disturbing secrets about him and, in the process, discovers unsettling truths about her own identity.

Wasikowska was drawn to the role because the character felt both relatable and complex. She explained that the character experiences feelings of loneliness and longing common in teenagers, but also has a mysterious side. What really excited Wasikowska about the script was the character’s unpredictability – it’s unclear throughout the story whether she’ll be a hero or someone more ambiguous. This uncertainty, she felt, made it compelling to play, as the character’s true nature isn’t revealed until the very end.

Stoker starts streaming on HBO Max on June 1, 2026.

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2026-05-25 20:09