HBO Max's 'Monsters of God' Documentary on Reptile Smuggling Premieres Aug. 6

HBO Max is launching the five‑part documentary series "Monsters of God," which premieres on August 6. The series investigates the multi‑billion‑dollar international reptile‑smuggling trade, tracing its roots to the 1960s and focusing on Philadelphia smuggler Hank Molt and the Philadelphia Reptile Exchange. Produced by veteran documentary makers Eric Goode and Jeremy McBride – known for "Tiger King" and "Chimp Crazy" – the project took about six years, featuring more than 175 interviews and roughly 1,500 hours of footage.

The series portrays the evolution of wildlife‑crime enforcement, noting Molt’s landmark prison sentence that helped shape U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service actions, the Endangered Species Act and the CITES treaty. It also follows federal agents, zoo officials and other key players, offering a portrait of obsession: “There’s the obsession, which is more intense than any of the other kind of animal people that we’ve met with,” McBride said. Goode describes the work as “investigative journalism” aimed at documenting the people who built the reptile trade before they disappear.

"Monsters of God" blends true‑crime storytelling with cultural history, highlighting how many reptiles in today’s zoos can be traced back to Molt’s early imports.