Now Introducing HBO Max Classic

[Blitzkrieg]

J.J. Abrams Bidding War Won By WarnerMedia as Bad Robot Nears $500M Partnership

Following a months-long courting process that included multiple suitors, WarnerMedia is in final negotiations for a new partnership with Bad Robot, sources say. It's unclear how many years the new agreement is for as the deal that would Abrams with the company he has called home since 2006 has not yet been finalized. Still, sources have estimated that any new pact for Bad Robot could be valued at in the $500 million vicinity when all is said and done. That would put Bad Robot's deal at the top of the recent wave of nine-figure pacts for prolific producers including Greg Berlanti ($400 million from Warner Bros. TV), Ryan Murphy ($300 million from Netflix) and Shonda Rhimes ($100 million from Netflix).

Under the deal, Abrams and company will continue to create and develop new projects for WarnerMedia and supervise other producers across film, TV and digital platforms. Sources say the process of moving Bad Robot's feature film deal over from Viacom-owned Paramount Pictures has already begun.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

'Friends' Officially Leaving Netflix for WarnerMedia's Streaming Service

It's official: Friends is moving from Netflix to WarnerMedia's streaming service, now officially called HBO Max.

HBO Max will also be the new streaming home for all fare from The CW (which was previously housed at Netflix) as well as original feature films from prolific producer Greg Berlanti and Reese Witherspoon. HBO Max will officially launch in spring 2020 and will debut with 10,000 hours of premium content.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

 

[Blitzkrieg]

‘Friends’ to Leave Netflix for WarnerMedia’s HBO Max Streaming Service in 2020

In addition, HBO Max will include all episodes of “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” starring Will Smith and “Pretty Little Liars.” It also will be the exclusive streaming home new Warner Bros.-produced dramas for The CW beginning with the fall 2019 season, including the DC Entertainment series “Batwoman,” and “Katy Keene” (a spinoff of “Riverdale”).

Overall, HBO Max will combine content from HBO with a slate of originals and programming from Warner Bros., New Line, DC Entertainment, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, The CW, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, and Looney Tunes.

 

[terry78]

WarnerMedia confirms its Netflix rival will be called HBO Max

Their new streaming service to challenge Netflix.

 

[Closerframe]

Predictable but equally ridiculous. I just hope this means the shows they release on Now/Go don't diminish in quality.

 

[Travesty]

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

This service looks very appealing to me. I think I would get a lot more use out of it than Disney's offering.

 

[Kuwolski]

The sticking point for a lot of people could be the price. It's rumored to be a dollar more then GO, which is already more expensive then Netflix. This apparently won't change the status of that or DC universe, so it could get real pricey for consumers looking for an add-on but not a replacement.

It will be fascinating to see how this space shakes out in 5 years.

 

[Lencho01]

Press release with quotes and stuff...

WarnerMedia Names Upcoming Direct-to-Consumer Service HBO Max

 

[Marvolo]

AT&T is gonna dilute the **** out of the HBO name brand.

 

[Motown Marvel]

So there's going to be HBOnow, HBOgo, and HBOmax?

HBOwtf?

 

[samsnee]

Seriously. Way too confusing to the average consumer as it doesn’t differentiate how the content is different.

 

[antsman41]

Does Max not have "night of release" episodes like Now? If not, that's dumb... I shouldn't have to buy both.

 

[jmc]

Seriously. Way too confusing to the average consumer as it doesn’t differentiate how the content is different.

It literally makes no sense to have three separate services. Bundling it all under the HBO banner I actually think would be a much easier sell than Disney+. Having 3 distinct services makes little sense from a consumer perspective.

 

[-JKR-]

Belongs in the TV section in my opinion. Streaming services are TV, not cinema.

 

[Lencho01]

Are you secretly Steven Spielberg?

 

[-JKR-]

Are you secretly Steven Spielberg?

Yes, I am. I am typing this while I'm enjoying a relaxing time in my swimming pool filled with money.
All jokes aside, I'm 100% with Spielberg on this. The man is right. And he's freakin' STEVEN SPIELBERG.

 

[Lencho01]

Guys! It’s Steven Mother****ing Spielberg!!!

 

[metaphysician]

Belongs in the TV section in my opinion. Streaming services are TV, not cinema.

Even when what they stream are 2 hour single story experiences? If so, why? Why is a movie theater a privileged platform?

 

[-JKR-]

They're TV movies then.
Because there are movies for the big screen. And movies for the small screen. And the theater experience HAS value.
Can't wait until we all turn into the "Wall-E" humans. Shouldn't take too long now.

 

[Kuwolski]

Makes perfect sense why they would build the service around HBO, that's the crown jewel brand at Warner.

They're TV movies then.
Because there are movies for the big screen. And movies for the small screen. And the theater experience HAS value.
Can't wait until we all turn into the "Wall-E" humans. Shouldn't take too long now.

Seems relevant to movies in general considering the impact streaming has had on the film industry. Likely more consolidation in the future because streaming services and these OTT platforms in general have more value to people then the industry anticipated.

 

[psylockolussus]

I wish they didn't use HBO for the title as movies/original TV shows produced by HBO are what I think of when I hear/see the name, HBO, not necessarily Cw shows or shows that didn't originate in Hbo.

Something like WB× would be more fitting and yeah it does seem confusing that this isn't the first streaming service to have HBO in the name. Maybe in a few years, Wb can streamline their streaming services for tv shows/movies.

 

[psylockolussus]

This service looks very appealing to me. I think I would get a lot more use out of it than Disney's offering.

I think the catalogue of Disney+ appeals to me more. But if they have all the DC movies, the Wizarding World movies and well basically the entire WB tv/film catalogue, then I think it could be a serious competition. Especially Disney aren't putting all Fox material in D+ but in Hulu.

 

[-JKR-]

Still talking about TV movies, despite everyone falling for a lie.