WarnerMedia Announces HBO Max Streaming Service

The company's new digital video platform has been revealed.

WarnerMedia has announced new details for its upcoming streaming service, including an official name and several programming deals. The platform will be called HBO Max and is set to offer access to HBO along with several exclusive original titles and WarnerMedia catalog content, including all 236 episodes of Friends.

"HBO Max will bring together the diverse riches of WarnerMedia to create programming and user experiences not seen before in a streaming platform. HBO's world-class programming leads the way, the quality of which will be the guiding principle for our new array of Max Originals, our exciting acquisitions, and the very best of the Warner Bros. libraries, starting with the phenomenon that is 'Friends,'" said Robert Greenblatt, chairman, WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-To-Consumer. "Under the leadership of two of the strongest creative visionaries — Casey Bloys (HBO) and Kevin Reilly (original content and acquisitions) — and two of the most experienced digital experts — Tony Goncalves and Andy Forssell — I have no doubt they and their dedicated teams will deliver the world’s best storytelling to audiences of all ages wherever and whenever they want it."

Using HBO as a base, the service will offer access to HBO content along with an extensive collection of additional WarnerMedia programming and new exclusive Max Original shows and films. Content deals announced so far for the platform include the exclusive streaming rights to catalog shows like Friends, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Pretty Little Liars, along with the exclusive streaming rights to several new Warner Bros. produced dramas from The CW, including Batwoman and Katy Keene.

Likewise, the service also has exclusive movie production deals with Greg Berlanti and Reese Witherspoon, with Berlanti slated to produce an initial four movies and Witherspoon set to produce at least two films. Meanwhile, Max Originals currently in the works include a Dune series, a Gremlins animated show, and more. Here's a full rundown of Max Originals announced so far per WarnerMedia:

• Dune: The Sisterhood - An adaptation of Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson’s book based in the world created by Frank Herbert’s book Dune, from director Denis Villeneuve.
• Tokyo Vice - Based on Jake Adelstein’s non-fiction first-hand account of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police beat starring Ansel Elgort.
• The Flight Attendant - A one-hour thriller series based on the novel by Chris Bohjalian, which will star Kaley Cuoco, who is also executive producing alongside Greg Berlanti.
• Love Life - A 10-episode half-hour romantic comedy anthology series starring Pitch Perfect star Anna Kendrick, who will also executive produce alongside Paul Feig.
• Station Eleven - A postapocalyptic limited series based on Emily St. John Mandel’s international bestseller, adapted by Patrick Somerville and directed by Hiro Murai.
• Made for Love - A 10-episode, half-hour, straight-to-series adaptation based on the tragicomic novel of the same name by Alissa Nutting, also from Somerville and directed by S.J. Clarkson.
• Gremlins - An animated series from Warner Bros. Animation and Amblin Entertainment based on the original movie.

Though pricing and supported devices have not been confirmed yet, HBO Max is set to launch in Spring 2020 with 10,000 hours of content.

Source: WarnerMedia via BusinessWire