Wagner Moura's Acclaimed Crime Thriller Becomes a Global Streaming Hit

We're now just a few months away from Oscars nominations day, as we prepare for who will make their bid to become a winner at the 99th Academy Awards. The race for Best Actor is already one of the most interesting, as several names swirl around social media. The current favorite for the trophy, according to the bookies, is tied between two names: Andrew Scott in the devastating drama Elsinore, and John Malkovich in Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine.

The most likely competition for Scott and Malkovich includes Matt Damon for his starring turn in Christopher Nolan's epic adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey, Primetime's Robert Pattinson, who might be rewarded for his brilliantly busy 2026, Sebastian Stan for his morally nuanced performance in Fjord, and Tom Cruise for his undeniably captivating turn in the controversial Digger. As the Best Actor race heats up, one of the most underrated nominees of the past few years has found himself back in the streaming conversation, courtesy of a 2025 Academy Award nominee that arguably should've left with at least one prize.

The film in question is the genre-blending slow-burner The Secret Agent, which starred the brilliantly talented Wagner Moura as Armando Solimões. Moura earned a Best Actor nod for the role, but stood little chance against some serious big hitters in this year's competition. Other nominees included Ethan Hawke for Richard Linklater's Blue Moon, Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, and Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, with Michael B. Jordan and his literally two-faced performance in Sinners walking out victorious. Right now, The Secret Agent is one of the ten most-streamed movies on HBO Max worldwide.

What Else Is Popular on HBO Max?

The Secret Agent is currently the sixth most-watched movie on HBO Max, so what are the five films proving more popular? In fifth place is the Kit Harington-led werewolf horror The Beast Within; fourth place goes to Johnny Depp's 2004 thriller Secret Window; the Noughties-defining comedy Superbad is in third place; the 2026 horror gem Evil Dead Burn ranks in second place; and top of the list is Anne Hathaway's Mother Mary.