A24 has been riding high with the success of The Drama, the dark romantic comedy starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson that's sparked endless conversation about race, privilege, and modern relationships. But before you get swept up in that buzz, there's a quieter, more devastating gem that started it all—and it's about to vanish from HBO Max.
Past Lives, writer-director Celine Song's feature debut, is the first chapter in what fans now call A24's unofficial trilogy of modern romance, followed by Materialists and The Drama. While The Drama is on track to join A24's $100 million club—Zendaya and Robert Pattinson's 'The Drama' Becomes A24's Fifth $100M Hit—Past Lives remains the soul of the series.
A Story of Love, Loss, and What-Ifs
The film follows childhood sweethearts in South Korea who are separated when one family emigrates to the United States. Years later, the one who stayed behind shows up in New York unannounced, stirring up old memories and buried feelings. It's a tender, heartbreaking exploration of fate, timing, and the roads not taken.
Starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro, Past Lives premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023 before A24 gave it a platform release. It earned a 95% critics' score and a 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus calling it "a remarkable debut" that uses "the bonds between its sensitively sketched central characters to support trenchant observations on the human condition."
Oscar Love and Box Office Success
The film went on to earn Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay for Song. It also performed solidly at the box office, grossing over $40 million worldwide against a modest $12 million budget. Song later directed Materialists, starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal, which grossed more than $110 million worldwide.
If you haven't seen Past Lives yet, now is the time. The film is currently streaming on HBO Max but will leave the platform on May 1, 2026. That gives you just a few weeks to experience this 10/10 romantic tragedy that launched a new voice in cinema.
For more on what to watch next, check out our list of Beyond 'The Pitt': 10 Must-Watch Medical Dramas for Your Next Binge or dive into Why HBO's Overlooked Julia Child Drama Is Your Perfect Weekend Binge.
