Russell Crowe’s Biggest Box-Office Hit of the Decade Is Officially Leaving HBO Max
Russell Crowe's 2023 horror film "The Pope's Exorcist" is due to be removed from HBO Max in the United States on 12 August 2026. The film, which grossed $77 million worldwide against an $18 million budget, remains Crowe's biggest box-office success as a leading man since 2014's "Noah", highlighting his shift away from big-budget tentpole roles towards supporting parts and offbeat genre films in recent years.
The film dramatises the life of Father Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican's official exorcist, who performed thousands of exorcisms and was previously the subject of a William Friedkin documentary. Since "Noah" earned $360 million in 2014, Crowe has taken smaller roles in films such as "Thor: Love and Thunder" and "Kraven the Hunter", while headlining lower-profile projects like "Unhinged" and "The Get Out". His most recent starring vehicle, the 2025 drama "Nuremberg", grossed around $70 million on a budget under $10 million, coming close to but not surpassing "The Pope's Exorcist" as his top hit of the decade.
- "The Pope's Exorcist" leaves HBO Max in the US on 12 August 2026
- It remains Crowe's biggest leading-role hit since "Noah" (2014)
- The film grossed $77 million against an $18 million budget
New here? Start with this
Russell Crowe made his name in big, expensive Hollywood films, but in recent years he has mostly stepped back from that kind of leading role, taking supporting parts in blockbusters and headlining smaller, more offbeat films instead. His last major box-office peak as a headline star was the 2014 biblical epic "Noah", which took $360 million worldwide.
"The Pope's Exorcist" is a 2023 horror film in which Crowe plays Father Gabriele Amorth, a real Vatican priest known for performing thousands of exorcisms and who was previously profiled in a documentary by director William Friedkin. Made on a relatively modest budget, the film went on to become Crowe's most commercially successful leading role since "Noah", even as his other recent output has leaned towards genre films and supporting roles.
The film has been available to stream on HBO Max, one of the major US streaming services, but streaming rights are typically licensed for limited periods before titles are removed from a platform's library. Its scheduled departure has drawn attention partly because of what it represents: a rare recent box-office high point in a stretch of Crowe's career otherwise defined by smaller-scale work, including his 2025 drama "Nuremberg".