Originally a private cable network, then a premium cable channel, then a mini-network of specialized and dedicated channels, HBO has evolved into a powerhouse of original content production. Game of Thrones is its most obvious success story. But series like Deadwood, The Sopranos, Westworld, True Detective, The Wire, Sex and the City, Girls, and many more have made the network a strong contender in the crowded streaming landscape. With the launch of HBO Max, the network’s offerings have been paired with major titles from Warner Bros., DC, Studio Ghibli, and more. The Verge can help you sort through HBO’s new content and follow its evolving business model as it looks for its next Game of Thrones.
Themed channels full of popular shows and movies could save you from decision fatigue, and let people watch ‘together’ from far away.
Netflix may be the frontrunner now, but the war for Warner Bros. could end in a number of different ways.
We don’t even know who will own HBO Max this time next year, but the streamer is putting on a good face with this sizzle reel of new footage from upcoming seasons of House of the Dragon, Euphoria, Dune: Prophecy and Lanterns — all of which are coming in 2026.
Since Netflix announced that it was the frontrunner to buy Warner Bros., David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance has been getting more hostile in its bids to own the legacy studio. But Semafor reports that Paramount’s tactics have raised eyes in Washington, where some think Ellison is banking on favoritism from Trump’s Justice Department.
After launching a hostile bid for the entertainment giant, Paramount’s Ellison told CNBC that Netflix’s deal to buy part of WBD would create a company with “unprecedented market power:”
When you combine the number one streamer with the number three streamer, that creates a company that has unprecedented market power, north of 400 million subscribers. The next largest competitor is Disney, with just under 200 million. That’s bad for Hollywood, that’s bad for the creative community, that’s bad for consumers.
Gorilla Grodd — DC Comics’ gorilla supervillain who has longstanding beef with the Flash — is set to be the focus of DC Crime, a new HBO Max “true” crime docuseries hosted by Daily Planet reporter Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo). No premiere date yet, but Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault are attached to write / showrun the project.
Rather than waiting for Sunday, HBO now plans to drop It: Welcome to Derry’s second episode on October 31st just in time for the end of spooky season.
The It prequel series is a half-hearted attempt at crossing Stephen King’s opus with Stranger Things.
Weapons is set to make its HBO Max debut on October 24th, which might get folks intrigued about the spinoff prequel director Zach Cregger has in development.
[HBO Press Room]
The latest trailer for HBO’s Welcome to Derry series is chock full of alarming new scenes from the It prequel, but the most intriguing thing about it are its shots of what seems to be Pennywise’s arrival on Earth from space(?) in a massive ball of fire.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the newly merged Paramount Skydance Corporation is thinking about making a majority cash bid to acquire the entirety of Warner Bros. Discovery — a move that would consolidate two of the world’s largest media conglomerates into a single entity run by billionaire Larry Ellison’s son.
[The Wall Street Journal]
When HBO’s new comedy The Chair Company premieres on October 12th, William Ronald Trosper (Tim Robinson) will set out to discover the truth behind “a far-reaching conspiracy” that has him questioning everything about his life.
After months of teasing us all with snippets from It: Welcome to Derry, HBO has finally given the prequel series an October 26th premiere date.
The streamer will add Your Name, Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko, Children Who Chase Lost Voices, Ghost Cat Anzu, and more titles starting September 1st. It’s also bringing Shin Godzilla and other films like the 1985 sci-fi flick Angel’s Egg to the platform later this year and into next.
[Warner Bros. Discovery]
Though technically, it was Max at the time. All but 200,000 of them came from international markets, bringing Max to 125.7 million subscribers worldwide — and according to Warner Bros. Discovery, still on track to hit 150 million next year.
The streaming division turned a profit of $293 million, after a loss this time last year, which will be good news for the Warner Bros. bit of the company ahead of their separation next year.
[s201.q4cdn.com]
A collection of 15 shows will be available on HBO Max, Vulture reports, including the Ricky Gervais-led version of The Office. They’ll be available until the end of September.
[vulture.com]
During an interview with Variety, HBO Max head Casey Bloys said the next season “is definitely planned for 2027,” though there might not be another one after that:
Craig [Mazin] is still working it out whether it will be two more seasons or one more long season. It hasn’t been decided yet, and I’m following Craig’s lead on that.
The next season will be the first without the involvement of The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckman, who is shifting focus to upcoming Naughty Dog games.
The new half-hour limited series doesn’t have a name just yet, but HBO describes it as a celebration of American history that will star Larry David, a handful of other Curb Your Enthusiasm alums, and some “noteworthy guest stars.”
Warner Bros. Discovery had said the switch would happen sometime this summer, and now Variety, Deadline, and The Hollywood Reporter all say the move is imminent.
[variety.com]
If you’ve been waiting for Warner Bros. Japan’s follow-up to Batman Ninja, some good news: (HBO) Max announced today that Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is set to make its streaming debut this summer on July 3rd.
HBO’s Mountainhead is a snapshot of everything that’s ridiculous and terrible about Silicon Valley’s billionaire class.
As Deadline notes, the cross-platform viewer number that (HBO) Max just released for last night’s finale is down from the season premiere’s 5.3 million, but the company expects that “The audience will grow significantly due to low viewing levels over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.” According to the press release, the show’s global audience now numbers more than 90 million.
If you’ve seen the finale, what do you think about where the show is headed now?
The last few minutes of the season 2 finale are an important indication of where the story is going.
