HBO’s nascent streaming service, HBO Max, has been recently fleshing out its online content catalogue. Through a buy out of WarnerMedia’s high-profile existing properties, earlier original projects from their vault will now be part of the streamer’s future line-up.
Despite the final product not launching until spring of next year, the subscription service so far has fleshed out most of its upcoming content list— a stark contrast to other industry competitors such as NBCUniversal, who have delayed any news of future content.
“We have a very broad service, from preschool programming to classic films — we are an alternative to other services,” HBO Max chief content officer Kevin Reilly commented in response to HBO Max targeted audience being women. “HBO is more male-skewing, so [HBO Max] will be filling out with more female and younger viewers. That is the SVOD audience.”
HBO Max has also already put in early series production orders for shows such as the rom-com/anthology series Love Life, which will feature Anna Kendrick in a starring role, with Paul Feig set to produce— the drama Tokyo Vice cast Ansel Elgort as the series‘ lead. A Gremlins prequel series, Gossip Girl reboot, and a Dune spinoff titled, Dune: The Sisterhood, are all also in the streamer’s original series roster.
The streamer made other announcements regarding their future pilot line-up which included a Practical Magic prequel of sorts as well, with talks of an actual series being produced in the future. The service’s exclusive digital library will also house other content acquired from other services such as Friends and Pretty Little Liars, which will both be available immediately upon its launch.
“This product is differentiated as an experience and in its content,” Reilly further explained. Meanwhile, Richard Weitz highlighted WarnerMedia’s attempt at a “sophisticated pipe infrastructure” that allows the conglomerate to create such a robust line-up for any future theatrical and SVOD content.
The company’s infrastructure has also allowed it to hold an advantage over their biggest competitor, Netflix, who lacks the ability to tap into a larger network of media IP under their own personal corporate banner. Weitz further commented that “a program that first streams on HBO Max could have a linear window on TNT, TBS or TruTV and vice versa.”