HBO Max Announces Launch Date And Debut Lineup
by Erik Amaya
This is probably the best time to launch a streaming platform, what with millions of captive viewers sheltering at home. And HBO Max is taking advantage of the situation — although it seems they would have launched on May 27th no matter the condition of the world.
The streamer finally confirmed on Tuesday that the service will begin at the end of May with programs like the scripted comedy Love Life, starring Anna Kendrick, the documentary On the Record, underground ballroom dance competition series Legendary, DIY series Craftopia, an all-new Looney Tunes Cartoons series, and Sesame Workshop’s The Not Too Late Show with Elmo. The service boasts 10,000 hours of premium content beyond the original programing which includes all of HBO’s content and various selections from across WarnerMedia vast libraries; the service will also be the streaming home of Studio Ghibli films and new episodes of Doctor Who.
“Even in the midst of this unprecedented pandemic, the all-star teams behind every aspect of HBO Max will deliver a platform and a robust slate of content that is varied, of the highest quality, and second to none,” Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of Warner Media Entertainment and Direct-To-Consumer said in a statement. “I’m knocked out by the breadth and depth of our new offering, from the Max originals, our Warner Bros library and acquisition titles from around the world, and of course the entirety of HBO.”
Following the launch, HBO Max will simulcast the new season of Doom Patrol alongside DC Universe and, eventually, serve as the exclusive home to three additional DC Comics related programs: Green Lantern, Strange Adventures, and Justice League Dark.
For the moment, though, we hope the service reaches deep into the Warner Bros. film library for classics from the studio and cross-county rival MGM. The studio has owned the Metro library since the late 1980s and has served as a fine custodian to classics like The Wizard of Oz. Hopefully, a streaming platform will give them the bandwidth to serve some lesser known MGM films like An American in Paris or The Thin Man series as admirably.
Priced at a premium $14.99 — though it will be available to HBO Now subscribers at no additional cost — HBO Max launches May 27th.