One of the Scariest Horror Films of the Decade is About to Leave HBO Max

The most shocking horror movie of 2023 is about to lose its biggest streaming home. Thankfully, fans still have until Halloween to rewatch it before it leaves HBO Max.

A whole host of fan-favorite genre films are barely a week away from losing their streaming homes on HBO Max, and 2023’s Talk to Me might just be the biggest of them all. Currently, Talk to Me is slated to leave HBO Max on Nov. 1, meaning Halloween will be subscribers’ final day to watch the film on the platform.

Why Talk to Me Was Such a Massive Hit in 2023

Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou in their directorial debut, with a screenplay written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman, Talk to Me premiered in 2022 at the Adelaide Film Festival. The supernatural horror was lauded by those in attendance, and the film’s intense hype train began. By the time Talk to Me finally arrived in theaters around the globe the following year, it was poised to take over the box office, and it did just that.

Talk to Me stars Sophie Wilde as Mia, a young woman still reeling from her mother’s death one year prior, who spends much of her time with her best friend Jade, portrayed by Alexandra Jensen, and Jade’s younger brother Riley, portrayed by Joe Bird. During a party hosted by Zoe Terakes’ Hayley and Chris Alosio’s Joss, the group is introduced to a supposedly severed hand with immense supernatural powers.

After bridging the gap between the living and the dead, Mia becomes enthralled by the experience, only for a repeat attempt to leave Riley possessed by a dangerous, violently self-destructive spirit. In an instant, Mia finds herself staring down a force she can only begin to comprehend, all while Riley continues to suffer from the entity that claims to be Mia’s deceased mother, Rhea.

Talk to Me immediately swept the box office upon its release, grossing more than $92 million against a meager $4.5 million production budget. Talk to Me also received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, garnering dozens of major industry award nominations, of which it won 14 in total, including Best Horror Film at the 2024 Saturn Awards and Best Film at the 2024 AACTA Awards.

What’s Next for the Creators of Talk to Me?

Since Talk to Me, the Philippou brothers have released one other indie horror hit in the form of 2025’s Bring Her Back. The duo also have brief appearances in the recently released Street Fighter feature film as Max and Scott, all barely a year after returning to the world of high-impact professional wrestling down in Mexico. Of course, what fans are really waiting for is a follow-up to Talk to Me, which might just be closer than they expect.

Throughout 2026, a six-episode virtual reality series titled I Let You In was produced, with Darren Brandl and Trent Atherton serving as showrunners. The series is expected to premiere next year on Meta Platforms, where viewers can step into the world of Talk to Me for themselves alongside an ensemble cast led by Aubri Ibrag, Charlotte Maggi, Sofia Hublitz, Julio Peña, Raff Law, and Charlie Hiscock.

The Philippou brothers have also opened up about their plans for a proper sequel to Talk to Me, tentatively titled Talk 2 Me, which the duo will return to direct from another screenplay by Danny Philipou and Bill Hinzman. In 2024, Talk to Me star Sophie Wilde gave a rather tentative update on the project, stating, “I feel like it’s still a bit hush-hush because I mean, [Danny and Michael ], they’re such workaholics. I know they’re focusing on a bunch of other projects that they’re doing at the moment. So I don’t know, it’s all up in the air.”

Talk to Me is scheduled to exit the HBO Max streaming library on Nov. 1.

Release Date

July 28, 2023

Runtime

95 minutes

Director

Michael Philippou, Danny Philippou

Writers

Bill Hinzman, Danny Philippou

Producers

Kristina Ceyton, Samantha Jennings