DC Universe’s original shows Harley Quinn, Titans, Young Justie, Doom Patrol, and Sawmp Thing will be moving to HBO Max, Screen Rant has confirmed. The shift is a result of WarnerMedia placing a new emphasis on HBO Max as their main streaming service.
DC Universe launched back in September of 2018 as the streaming service for all things DC Comics, including comics, movies, and TV shows. Since then, DC has added a number of original shows, including Titans in 2018, and Harley Quinn, Doom Patrol, Swamp Thing, Stargirl, and the third season of Young Justice all in 2019.
Despite an impressive lineup, WarnerMedia has been looking to shift focus towards HBO Max. In a quote released to Screen Rant, Chief Creative Officer and Publisher of DC Comics Jim Lee revealed the streaming service migration: “The original content that is on DCU is migrating to HBO Max. Truthfully, that’s the best platform for that content. The amount of content you get, not just DC, but generally from WarnerMedia, is huge and it’s the best value proposition, if I’m allowed to use that marketing term. We feel that is the place for that.” He also promised that DC Universe itself will be retooled in light of this shift, but did not elaborate how so.
Stargirl began the shift, as the series moved from DC Universe to the CW, with its second season premiering on the network sometime next year. Doom Patrol‘s second season premiered as an HBO Max Original on May 27th this year, before also being added to DC Universe in June. Harley Quinn seasons 1 and 2 are also available to stream on HBO Max right now. Titans and Young Justice were both renewed for their respective third and fourth seasons, but it is unknown when those seasons will premiere or when their earlier seasons will migrate. It is also unknown when Swamp Thing, the only DC Universe Original to be canceled after one season, will move.
These are not the only DC series that will be added to the new service. HBO Max has ordered a series based on Matt Reeves’ (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) The Batman film due October 2021.