It was an expected move and already heralded in the television world, but it didn’t make any less noise for it. At a pivotal moment for the industry and as the blockbuster era shows signs of exhaustion, Warner Bros. Discovery announced Wednesday night that its flagship platform, HBO Max, will be rebranded as Max on May 23 in the United States. The communications and entertainment giant is taking the opportunity to flex its muscles, expanding its catalog and announcing news such as a series on the Harry Potter universe and another, The Penguin, all about Batman. The change is limited to the United States for now. The company has announced that it will come into force in Spain sometime in 2024 and that more details will be known “as the launch date approaches”. The same date is reserved for Asia and other markets, while in Latin America the switch will take place in the autumn.
Max is taking over the entire Discovery+ catalog, with which it is merging in the countries where it has provided service (although it is also maintained as a separate offering in the United States), so it will now be able to intensively to compete with Disney+ or Netflix offering, one of the media conglomerate’s main goals. Discovery specializes in information and entertainment and includes more than 20 channels and prominent reality shows in its offer. Tariffs advertised for the United States start at $10 with advertising; a mid-range for $16 (or $150 per year, which is the standard rate currently in the US) that includes two simultaneous displays and 30 downloads, and a premium for $20 that includes four devices, 100 downloads, and 4K -Playback quality.
In a process that will later be replicated outside of the United States, the company has ensured that the transition is automatic, with no need to change the user, password, or platform. HBO Max subscriber profiles, settings, viewing history and all data will also be migrated to Max. The new service “will have regular content updates, averaging more than 40 new titles and seasons per month,” according to the official statement. “The Max service is a mosaic of powerful content unparalleled in the breadth, reach and excellence of its offering,” said Casey Bloys, HBO chairman and CEO, during the Los Angeles and Max Content online presentation.
Olivia Cooke and Emma D’Arcy in The House of the Dragon.
millionaire budgets
The novelties that accompany this evolution of the platform, which thus unites its brands worldwide, are said to be up to the task of a catalog that includes current series such as The Last of Us, Succession or La casa del Dragón and television classics HBO Originals such as The Sopranos, The Wire, Game of Thrones or Two Meters Underground.
The first and most notable is a series about the Harry Potter universe. The platform has been advising for years and has already paved the way in 2022 with Return to Hogwarts, a meeting of the protagonists that JK Rowling did not attend. It is known that there will be seven seasons, one per book, and that it will at least be on a budget with the latest HBO blockbusters. The first season will have a budget of $125 million (about 113 million euros), “or whatever it takes to reach the necessary quality standard,” Bloys said in statements to The Hollywood Reporter after the presentation of the new project . The eight Harry Potter films – produced by Warner, which also developed the Fantastic Beasts project – have grossed more than €6 billion worldwide.
Bloys declined to comment on the Rowling controversy and the allegations of transphobia she has faced. “The Harry Potter books are clearly inclusive, an incredibly positive story about love and acceptance. Our priority is what comes out on screen,” he said simply. The British author, creator of one of the best-selling book series of all time, will executive produce the project, but not on a daily basis, according to Warner Bros. Discovery.
This global icon isn’t the only one who wants to get more power for this new project. A universe that is used much more intensively in audiovisual media like Batman will have a new product. This is The Penguin, a character-focused series starring Colin Farrell. On the platform you can also see the adaptations of DC Comics Factory already in the current offer, which include adaptations of Batman and Batwoman, Watchmen, Supergirl, Preacher or Justice League. In addition, the company has spawned several dozen projects, including a Max original comedy series spin-off from The Big Bang Theory; an HBO Original prequel to Game of Thrones entitled The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Wandering Knight, based on George RR Martin’s three short novels Tales of Dunk and Egg and following the adventures of Ser Duncan the Great and a young Aegon V Targaryen, also known as Egg; a Max Original drama series based on the Magnolia Network films The Warren Files or Fixer Upper: The Hotel. He also took the opportunity to show off the trailer for The Sympathizer, a miniseries starring Robert Downey Jr. as four different characters.
Prior to this leap, the company spent months reconfiguring its material and production capabilities to adapt to the signs of the times and the needs of investors. Under the direction of David Zaslav, Warner Bros. Discovery has halted production or removed more than 70 projects like Westworld from its platform. We’ll see if their rivals make a move.
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