HBO Max recently added a DC Comics movie adaptation that’s quickly become popular. While HBO Max is now the primary streaming home for DC content – thanks to its parent company Warner Bros.’ ownership of DC – there was a time when DC licensed some of its comics to other studios. This was particularly common with lesser-known titles from imprints like Vertigo Comics. Now, many of these films are returning to HBO Max, and that includes a well-regarded adaptation from DC’s Vertigo line.
The movie A History of Violence is proving popular on HBO Max, quickly becoming a streaming favorite. According to FlixPatrol, it’s already reached the top 10 most-streamed movies on the service—currently at number five—just six days after its release.
A History of Violence Is More Than Just a Comic Book Adaptation
Published in 1997 by Paradox Press, and later by Vertigo Comics (both under DC Comics), A History of Violence is a story by John Wagner (known for Judge Dredd) with artwork by Vince Locke. Unlike typical superhero comics, it’s heavily influenced by film noir and crime dramas. The story centers on Tom, a café owner in a small Michigan town, who becomes a local hero after stopping two armed robbers. This attention attracts the notice of a powerful New York City mob family who think Tom is actually Joey, a former mobster who betrayed them two decades prior. This suspicion is correct – Tom is indeed Joey, and has been trying to escape his past and build a new life.
The graphic novel spanned 286 pages, but the film adaptation was a much larger project. Renowned director David Cronenberg helmed the movie, with Viggo Mortensen playing the lead role of Tom. Ed Harris and William Hurt portrayed the mobsters pursuing him, and Maria Bello played Tom’s wife, Edie. While the movie differed significantly from the book – a change that was understandable given the novel’s length – the result was a small but brilliant work from Cronenberg.
With a $32 million budget, the film grossed $61.4 million and received strong reviews, earning an 88% ‘Certified Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and a 76% audience score. William Hurt received an Oscar nomination for his supporting role, and Josh Olson was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Many lists have also recognized it as one of the best films of the 2000s. Ultimately, A History of Violence stands out as one of the greatest non-superhero comic book adaptations ever created, and is now available on HBO Max for new and returning viewers.
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2026-06-14 22:42