Fantasy adventure films are dreams brought to life on the big screen. From colorful scenery to talking animals, sparkles, and more, fantasy worlds are an escape for a lot of moviegoers. While many films in the genre have become classics, some have been flops, and others have become underrated gems that didn’t receive the attention they deserve. One of those underrated fantasy films is A24’sThe Legend of Ochi. It was released in theaters in the United States on July 24, 2025, after a limited theater release on August 03, 2025. Before that, the movie premiered at Sundance in January. Now, it’s heading to HBO Max.
The Legend of Ochi will begin streaming on HBO Max on July 24, 2025.The film stars Willem Dafoe(Spider-Man), Helena Zengel (System Crasher), Emily Watson (Hilary and Jackie), and Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things). The story revolves around a farm girl named Yuri (Zengel) who lives in a secluded northern village on the island of Carpathia. Yuri was taught not to go outside after dark, out of fear of encountering a dangerous creature called the Ochi. One day, she discovers an injured baby Ochi that was left behind and goes on an adventure to return it to its family. Dafoe portrays Maxim, Watson plays Dasha, and Wolfhard is Petro.
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Isaiah Saxon wrote, directed, and producedThe Legend of Ochi, while Richard Peete, Traci Carlson, and Jonathan Wang also served as producers. Executive producers include Joe Russo, Anthony Russo, Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Otstot, Louise Lovegrove, Alex Plapinger, Len Blavatnik, Danny Cohen, Timo Argillander, and Elisa Alvares.The fantasy adventure film’s budget was $10 million, but it only grossed $4.6 million at the box office. Its streaming debut on HBO Max could be a great way for new audiences to discover and appreciate the film. With a runtime of only 96 minutes, it’s not an incredibly lengthy film, so movie lovers who enjoy fast-paced movies can appreciate that it’s under two hours.
The Legend of Ochihas a 75% Rotten Tomatoes score, with many critics highlighting itschaotic charm and beautiful visuals. Dionar Hidalgo of Algo Más Que Cine’s review of the film says, “The Legend of Ochi can’t decide if it’s a fable, drama, or experimental children’s tale, yet finds charm in its chaos. Visually stunning, with David Longstreth’s music as the sonic lifeline to a world Saxon builds with more passion than precision.” The reviewer gave the film an original score of seven out of ten. Other critics stated that they appreciated the film, but had no attachment to it.
Sometimes, critics reviews don’t accurately reflect what an audience thinks about a production. In this case,The Legend of Ochihas a 62% Popcornmeter score from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. While the reviews ofThe Legend of Ochiare somewhat mixed, with many agreeing that it’s visually perfect, some moviegoers had different thoughts. One viewer, Christopher M, wrote, “It was a very well done and really satisfying live-actionfamily fantasy adventure movie.”
Source:Warner Bros. Discovery
The Legend of Ochi
