Today, WarnerMedia held a special media presentation about its upcoming streaming service, HBO Max.  Which is WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer offering which will debut in May 2020 and will be priced at $14.99 a month.  HBO Max will be free for AT&T customers who also subscribe to HBO.

It will contain 10,000 hours of curated premium content anticipated at launch, HBO Max will offer powerhouse programming for everyone in the home, bringing together HBO, a robust slate of new original series, key third-party licensed programs and movies, and fan favorites from WarnerMedia’s rich library including Warner Bros., New Line, DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes and more.

HBO Max is one of many new streaming services launching within a year of one another, with NBC Universal’s Peacock also being released in 2020, in addition to both Disney+ and Apple TV+ launching in November.  This will mean the streaming business will be full of new exciting new platforms, all with their own original and legacy content.

Here are some key facts:

  • 30+ Original series in year one
  • 5 to 10 Original movies a year
  • 1800 classic movies at launch
  • 10,000 hours of TV
  • Launching an ad-supported version in 2021
  • New Game of Thrones series
  • Green Lantern show
  • Rick & Morty will be exclusive to HBO Max
  • South Park will be moving to HBO Max
  • Predicted 90 million customers in the U.S., Latin America and Europe, including 50 million domestic subscribers, by 2025.
  • 2020 Warner film slate (similar to how Disney+ will get Disney movies)
  • Live, interactive, special events to follow
  • Human-Powered Discovery
  • Parental controls

HBO Max is going to be offering a lot of different content, with much more variety than Disney+ is offering.  Which really turns up the pressure on Disney since they’ve got Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu to compete with the new platforms, in addition to the existing ones like Netflix and Amazon. Disney’s triple bundle is still a few dollars less than HBO Max, but the huge amount of content available is going to give people plenty to watch.

It will be interesting to see what Disney does to combat the threat from HBO Max, which is much stronger competition than Apple TV+, which has no back catalog and very few established franchises.  Warner has lots of big hitters including DC Comics (Superman/Batman etc), Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, Looney Tunes and more.

One interesting aspect was that HBO Max will feature 20th Century Fox films as this screenshot from the presentation shows two recent titles, The Kid Who Would Be King” and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules”.  So HBO’s deal with 21st Century Fox will have an impact on movies going to Hulu and Disney+, though the deal will expire in 2022.

HBO Max is serious competition for Disney+ and Hulu, though its price point will make it less desirable, but a simple product with one price point and a huge catalog, means this is one to watch.  Many of the practical issues Warner discussed would make great additions to Disney+, so the pressure is on.

Are you going to subscribe to HBO Max?

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Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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5 Comments

  1. darthcorey October 30, 2019

    Netflix might be leaving my house to make room for HBO Max...in addition to Disney+ OF COURSE. Ultimately, this sounds like some interesting content...but I kind of want to hear and see a little more. Either that, or I will wait for the add supported to save some money. I don't mind the ads on Hulu...for the price.

  2. Bren October 30, 2019

    Hulu could always port ESPN content to beef it up short-term, which actually may be the biggest brand Disney owns, though people rarely mention it when discussing major IP. I think Disney will announce it's plans for Hulu after the Disney + launch. A major driver for that service should be FX, which is premium content as good as anything out there, thanks to the great John Langraf, So yes, I think top to bottom HBO is going for the Netflix 'bundle' (with better content + sports), but the Disney combo platter will be a match over time. - HBO Max wins for overall A-Z content at the moment. - Disney + is more target specific and cheaper. - The Disney platter can rival it ( $2 cheaper), especially when they eventually beef up ESPN + (biggest sports brand in the world bar none) The consumers are the big winners.

  3. Bren October 30, 2019

    #Newcastle

  4. Tom October 31, 2019

    They are probably the only one that can give Disney a run for the money as far as kid friendly content goes. With the Studio Ghibili, Sesame Street, Looney Tunes, DC animation, Hanna Barbera, Tom & Jerry as well as Cartoon Network stuff, they have a ton to pull from. Then add in that they will have the adult content that Disney Plus will not and you have a serious contender. I am already committed to three years of Disney Plus and for the price I paid, I do not regret it one bit. But depending on what kind of deals they have on HBO Max, I will have to consider it.

  5. Snake Eater November 7, 2019

    Looks like I'll get HBO Max for Studio Ghibli, Sesame Street and Euphoria.