WarnerMedia unveiled significant new details about its HBO Max direct-to-consumer strategy on the company’s iconic Warner Bros. lot, revealing a comprehensive offering of programming options for every audience, product features and functionality, and its go-to-market plans.
Launching in May of 2020, WarnerMedia will be making HBO Max available to customers in the U.S. for $14.99 per month and the offer will include 10,000 hours of premium content including new originals from Ridley Scott, Greg Berlanti, Mindy Kaling, Elizabeth Banks, Issa Rae, Conan O’brien, Looney Tunes y Cartoon Network Studios, among others.
“With this entire company coming together, we will have one of the most robust collections of premium streaming content that will appeal to all demographics in the household, and be able to achieve incredible scale and reach right out of the gate,” said Robert Greenblatt, chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer. “We couldn’t achieve this without AT&T’s unprecedented and enthusiastic support. When you live in a world with ‘dragons’ — it feels very good to have one of your own in the game!”
The company is targeting 50 million domestic subscribers and 75 - 90 million premium subscribers by year-end in 2025 across the U.S., Latin America and Europe. At launch, AT&T will immediately offer HBO Max to the roughly 10 million HBO subscribers on AT&T distribution platforms, at no additional charge. HBO Now direct-billed users who subscribe directly through HBONow.com will also have access to WarnerMedia’s HBO Max product. AT&T customers on premium video, mobile and broadband services will be offered bundles with HBO Max included at no additional charge.
“We’ve positioned HBO Max in a way that makes sense for our Company, our distribution partners and our customers,” said Tony Goncalves, CEO of Otter Media. “We are creating a company-wide ‘membership-model’ that taps into AT&T’s 170 million direct-to-consumer relationships, 5,500 retail stores and 3.2 billion annual customer touchpoints to achieve scale and reach at launch.”
HBO Max will launch with 10,000 hours of curated premium content including the entire HBO service, bundled with new HBO Max Originals that expand the breadth of the offering targeted at young adults, kids and families. HBO Max will pull from WarnerMedia’s deep library of fan favorites in its 100-year content collection, including library content from 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 will also offer a robust selection of third party acquired series and movie titles that will rival any other streaming offering in the marketplace.
“We are attracting top talent to bring in a wide variety of original ideas, curating the rich library assets of this company, and acquiring the most compelling third-party programming available,” said Kevin Reilly, chief content officer, HBO Max, president, TNT, TBS and truTV.
NEW MAX ORIGINALS
Between the new titles are “The Fungies!”, from Stephen Neary and Cartoon Network Studios, “Tig N’ Seek” from Myke Chilian and Cartoon Network Studios “Tooned Out”, executive produced by Robert Zemeckis; “Looney Tunes Cartoons”, an all-new series of 80 eleven-minute episodes and holiday-themed specials from Warner Bros; “Jellystone”, a new animated children’s comedy series from Warner Bros; “DC Super Hero High”, a half-hour comedy series executive produced by Elizabeth Banks; “Rap Sh*t” (working title) from Issa Rae; “College Girls” (working title), the latest series from Mindy Kaling; “Strange Adventures”, a DC Super Hero anthology series executive produced by Greg Berlanti and “A Green Lantern” inspired series from Berlanti Productions.
Also, a series of Stand Up Specials presented by Conan O’Brien will feature five new comedy specials. “Raised by Wolves”, an epic serialized sci-fi series executive produced and directed by Ridley Scott and “Bobbie Sue”, a feature-length film starring Golden Globe® winner Gina Rodríguez. On the other hand, HBO announced a new original “House of the Dragon”, a 10-episode, straight-to-series order “Game of Thrones” prequel.
In addition to the new original titles mentioned, HBO Max also announced a number of classic and library titles that will be coming to the streamer in its first year of launch, including “South Park”, “Rick & Morty”, “The O.C.”, “Aqua Teen Hunger Force”, “Robot Chicken”, “Space Ghost Coast to Coast”, “The Bachelor”, “Impractical Jokers”, “The Closer”, “Rizzolli and Isles”, “Major Crimes”, “The Alienist”, “The West Wing”, “United Shades of America with Kamau Bell”, “This is Life with Lisa Ling”, and “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”.
“We work with an unmatched roster of innovative artists and we couldn’t be happier to be bringing them to HBO Max next year and well into the future,” said Ann Sarnoff, chair and CEO of Warner Bros. “HBO Max will have the pick of the litter here at Warner Bros.”
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