A 2012 found-footage sci-fi film starring Michael B. Jordan will be exiting HBO Max’s streaming library very soon. The story centers on three teenagers who use their newfound superpowers for fun, until one of them descends into darkness, putting everyone around him in grave danger.

Chronicle to leave HBO Max this month

Chronicle will leave HBO Max’s platform on Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Marking his feature directorial debut, Josh Trank helmed the film and co-wrote it with Max Landis. Trank conceived the idea for Chronicle, which he later pitched to Landis, who helped expand the story into a feature-length one. The two then sold their script to 20th Century Fox (via Complex).

Chronicle follows Andrew, a troubled high school student who begins filming his life to cope with bullying and an abusive home. He joins his cousin Matt and a popular school student, Steve, one night after they find a hole in the woods.

Upon entering it, the trio stumbles on a mysterious object that gives them telekinetic powers. At first, they use their abilities for fun, like playing pranks. However, Andrew, who was bullied for most of his life, becomes increasingly unstable. As his powers grow, he becomes violent. Meanwhile, Matt and Steve try to prevent Andrew from hurting anyone.

The film’s cast includes Michael B. Jordan as Steve, Dane DeHaan as Andrew, Alex Russell as Matt, Michael Kelly as Richard, Ashley Hinshaw as Casey, Bo Petersen as Karen, and Anna Wood as Monica.

20th Century Fox distributed Chronicle, premiering it at the 2012 Gérardmer Film Festival on January 28. The film later debuted in theaters on February 3, 2012. Despite the market being saturated with several found-footage films at the time, Chronicles managed to become a highly successful film.

Following the film’s release, it received incredible reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently has a 85% Tomatometer and a 72% Popcornmeter. Moreover, the film reportedly cost the studio $12 million. It was a massive financial pay-off because Chronicles went on to earn $126.6 million at the global box office.

Chronicle’s success prompted Fox to begin working on a sequel. However, Trank not only refused to do it, but he also reportedly tried to stall its progress. “I made it difficult for them to set up meetings. I was dodgy about stuff. I did a lot of shitty things. Because I really didn’t ever want to see Chronicle 2 happen. That was my worst nightmare” (via Polygon).

Despite this, the studio announced a female-centric sequel in 2021. However, the sequel has not materialized yet.