Is ‘Official Competition’ Streaming on HBO Max or Netflix?

No one knows the ins and outs of movie-making better than veteran movie stars Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz. That’s what makes these two stars the perfect cast in Official Competition, a Spanish-Argentine satirical comedy that first premiered at Venice Film Festival last year.

Directed by Argentinian filmmakers Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn, who also co-wrote the script with Andrés Duprat, Official Competition stars Cruz as an eccentric film director and Banderas as an egotistical movie star. The two are forced to work together when a billionaire decides to fund them for a film, and shenanigans ensue.

Official Competition was received warmly by critics at the 2021 Venice Film Festival in September, and now the movie is finally being released in the U.S. Here’s what you need to know about how to watch Official Competition, and what we know so far about when you can expect Official Competition on streaming.

WHERE TO WATCH OFFICIAL COMPETITION:

For now, the only way to watch Official Competition is in a movie theater. The film opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, June 17. You can find a showing near you via Fandango. After the film’s theatrical run, you will be able to purchase Official Competition on digital platforms like Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, and more.

WHEN WILL OFFICIAL COMPETITION BE STREAMING?

The short answer is: We don’t yet know. That said, we can make an educated guess. Official Competition is being released in the U.S. by IFC Films. Another recent IFC release, Watcher, was released in U.S. theaters on June 3 and will release on digital platforms on June 21, after just 17 days in theaters. If Official Competition follows a similar release strategy, then you may be able to buy or rent the film online as soon as the first week of July 2022.

WILL OFFICIAL COMPETITION BE ON HBO MAX?

No. Official Competition will not be on HBO Max at the same time it is in theaters, because it is not a Warner Bros. film, and because HBO Max will no longer be streaming theatrical movies in 2022. (Last year, Warner Bros. opted to simultaneously release its theatrical slate on streaming, meaning HBO Max subscribers could watch movies like Matrix Resurrections at home. This year, however, Warner Bros. theatrical movies will have a 45-day theaters-only run before moving to HBO Max.) It’s possible that Official Competition will be on HBO and HBO Max someday, but it will not be any time soon.

IS OFFICIAL COMPETITION STREAMING ON NETFLIX?

No. Official Competition is not streaming on Netflix, and there are no known plans to bring Official Competition to Netflix any time soon. If you want to see the film, your best bet is to go to a movie theater, or to wait for the digital release, likely in July 2022.