When Sky Movies began, it initially screened two hours of 'general entertainment' programming from noon until 2pm (such as Ask Dr. Ruth, Loving, The Beachcombers, America's Top 10, Wild World of Animals, Fun in the Sun and The Ewoks).

From mid-December 1990 until January 1992, Sky Movies aired from noon until around 2am daily.

NICAM stereo broadcasting was available on the UHF channel until around 1998 when Sky launched their digital service.

All current Sky Movie channels broadcast in at least stereo sound.

Sky Movies Max broadcast in widescreen 16:9 format from 2002 onwards.

[2] On 23 June 2021, Sky's movie channels and schedules were updated, resulting in more variety and fewer repeats.

The range of movies includes bona fide blockbusters, comedies, action titles, dramas, thrillers, science-fiction, horrors, westerns, romances, festival cinema and family features.

The channel has always broadcast in widescreen with the original Sky Movies channel originally maintaining a standard 4:3 format to give viewers a choice of viewing a movie in widescreen or standard format.

The channel screens an array of films from the MGM library and movies from other studios too.

The channel aired a mix of classic and premiere animated and live-action family films 24 hours a day.

Additional Sky Movies Pop-Up channels were frequently broadcast for a certain period with certain themes.

Some themes that have been broadcast in the past include Clint Eastwood, Star Wars, Christmas & Harry Potter Pop-Up channels.

The channel screens films to fit a regularly updated theme such as franchises, local, romance, war, or Christmas movies.