Is ‘The Phantom of the Open’ on HBO Max or Netflix? Where to Watch the Maurice Flitcroft Biopic

From Happy Madison to Tiger Woods jokes, golf is an easy target to poke fun at. But British golfer Maurice Flitcroft did a bit more than just poking fun—he committed fraud for the sake of the joke. And now you can learn all about Flitcroft’s exploits in the upcoming movie The Phantom of the Open, coming to theaters in the U.S. this weekend.

Starring Mark Rylance as Flitcroft, The Phantom of the Open was adapted for the screen by Simon Farnaby from Farnaby’s 2017 biography The Phantom of the Open: Maurice Flitcroft, The World’s Worst Golfer, which he co-wrote with Scott Murray. The biographical comedy received positive reviews when it premiered at the 65th BFI London Film Festival in October 2021, with critics praising Rylance’s charismatic performance in particular.

Also starring Sally Hawkins, Rhys Ifans, Jake Davies, Christian Lees, Jonah Lees, Mark Lewis Jones, and Johann Myers, this is sure to be a light-hearted and educational watch for a summer afternoon or evening. Read on to find out how to watch The Phantom of the Open and when to expect The Phantom of the Open on streaming.

WHERE TO WATCH THE MARK RYLANCE MOVIE THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN:

Right now, the only place to watch The Phantom of the Open is in a movie theater when it opens on Friday, June 3. You can find a showing at a movie theater near you here. After the movie’s theatrical run, you will be able to purchase The Phantom of the Open on digital platforms like Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu.

WHEN WILL THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN BE STREAMING?

The short answer is: We don’t know, but we can make an educated guess. A digital release date for The Phantom of the Open has not yet been announced. Another Sony Movie, Father Stu, will be available to buy for $19.99 on VOD on May 31, after about a month and a half in movie theaters. If The Phantom of the Open follows a similar release strategy, you might be able to purchase the movie for $19.99 around July 2022.

It’s also possible you will see The Phantom of the Open on Disney+ and Netflix. Read on for more info.

WILL THE PHANTOM OF THEE OPEN BE ON DISNEY+ OR HULU?

The Phantom of the Open may be on Hulu or Disney+ eventually—but you’ll have to wait. Last year, Disney made a deal with Sony to bring Spider-Man and other Sony titles to Disney’s streamers, Disney+ and Hulu, after the movies are released on Netflix, beginning with Sony’s 2022 release slate. The deal will bring Sony’s titles, such as The Phantom of the Open to Disney platforms for their Pay 2 windows, which should be a little over 18 months after the movie opens in theaters. Therefore, you may see The Phantom of the Open on the Disney streaming platforms around November or December 2023.

WILL THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN BE ON HBO MAX?

No. The Phantom of the Open is a Sony movie, not a Warner Bros. movie. Also, 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.)

IS THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN ON NETFLIX?

Not right now—but it will be someday. While you certainly won’t see The Phantom of the Open on Netflix before it releases on video-on-demand, last year Sony signed a deal to bring the studio’s 2022 film slate to Netflix during the “Pay 1 window,” which used to be 18-months after the film’s theatrical release, but could be even sooner, given that most theatrical windows have been reduced from 90 days to 45 days during the COVID-19 pandemic. So it’s possible you will see The Phantom of the Open on Netflix in 2023.

In other words, it may be a while before The Phantom of the Open is available to stream at home. If you want to catch the story of Maurice Flitcroft ASAP, you should try to see The Phantom of the Open in theaters.