There are over 70 new HBO Max movies in November 2025 – here are 3 sci-fi hits with over 80% on Rotten Tomatoes

Stream some stellar sci-fi this month

01 Nov 2025, 20:00 · TechRadar

Features By Tom Wardley published 1 November 2025

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

With spooky season in the rear-view and the festive period not quite underway, it can be tricky to choose the perfect viewing for this time of year, but after a month of the scary stuff, I always like to escape into some sci-fi before the holiday classics dominate the TV, and HBO Max’s November offering makes it one of the best streaming services for doing exactly that.

Spanning nearly a century of cinema, some of the best HBO Max movies arriving this month include the my favorite installment in a decades-long franchise, a vintage sequel and an early effort from a legendary director.

So, pack away the pumpkins and hold off on Home Alone as I give my pick of the three best sci-fi movies dropping this month on HBO Max, all with over 80% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes | Official Final Trailer [HD] | PLANET OF THE APES - YouTube

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Runtime: 130 minutes
Main cast: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Director: Matt Reeves
RT Score: 91%

The second installment in the rebooted Apes franchise, Dawn built on Rise’s respectable origin effort by delivering the true dystopian drama fans had been craving.

While Rise explained how the apes gained their heightened intelligence and hinted at the deadly pandemic that decimated the human population, Dawn picks up 10 years later, with the remaining humans now struggling for survival in a post-apocalyptic world. Meanwhile, the apes have established their own colony in the forests of San Francisco, displaying the early signs of becoming the dominant society on Earth. But when the two tribes must interact for the first time in a decade in order for the humans to repair a dam in ape territory, the uneasy alliance is threatened by purists on both sides.

The Apes franchise has always been steeped in allegory, and Dawn deftly discusses themes of racial divides and human need that today seem more relevant than ever. It’s also a technical marvel, with the apes stunningly lifelike, largely thanks to outstanding mo-cap performances from the likes of Andy Serkis and Toby Kebbell. And when the tensions finally come to a head, director Matt Reeves delivers a mud n’ blood soaked action climax that puts most other blockbusters to shame.

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