May 12-18: Max to Add 12 New Releases – Here Are the 2 to Watch

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Follow me on X.

Max this week (May 12-18, 2025) plans to add 12 new TV shows and movies to its streaming lineup. Here are the two to watch, in my humble opinion.

The Brutalist (2024)
Release Date: Friday, May 16
Adrien Brody stars in this epic drama as a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor who emigrates to the United States where success is hard to find until he meets the right person. The movie, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, is a 215-minute-long tribute to the human survival instinct and the American Dream. Brody, who won the AA for Best Actor, is sensational in lead as is a superb supporting cast including Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce and Joe Alwyn.

Duster (HBO Original)
Release Date: Thursday, May 15
If The Brutalist is too brutal for you, take Duster for a spin. The HBO/Max original series, which is set in 1972, stars Rachel Hilsonas the FBI’s first black agent who enlists a gifted getaway driver (Josh Holloway of Lost, pictured above) to assist her investigation of a crime syndicate. Director/writer J.J. Abrams, who worked with Holloway on Lost, penned a few of the eight episodes of Duster as well as co-created the series with LaToya Morgan.

Complete List of New Releases On Max This Week

Monday, May 12
Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)

Tuesday, May 13
Betting on Paradise, Season 1 (HGTV)
Contraband: Seized at the Border, Season 6 (Discovery)
Dream Destination: A Surprise Trip, Season 1 (discovery+)

Wednesday, May 14
Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out, Season 1 (Food Network)
Mini Reni, Season 1 (Magnolia Network)

Thursday, May 15
Duster, Season 1 (Max Original)
Mermicorno: Starfall, Season 2 (Max Original)
United States of Scandal with Jake Tapper, Season 2 (CNN Original)

Friday, May 16
The Brutalist (A24)

Saturday, May 17
Bugs Bunny Builders, Season 2E (Cartoon Network)

Sunday, May 18
Love & Marriage: Detroit, Season 2 (OWN)
Say Yes to the Dress, Season 21 (TLC)

What Is Max?
Max, a streaming service similar to Netflix, Hulu and Disney Plus, offers a mix of original programming, recent and older movies, and library titles from Warner Bros. Discovery properties such as HGTV, the Cartoon Network, Turner Classic Movies and HBO. The streamer also carries live sports from TBS, TNT and truTV with its two most expensive packages, which are $16.99 a month and $20.99 a month. The cheapest plan, which includes ads, is $9.99 a month and does not include live sports. Max was formerly called HBO Max but switched to just Max in 2023 to better reflect the service included titles beyond HBO.

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Phillip Swann

Who Is The TV Answer Man?
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered television for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch TV. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.