While Disney practically threw a carnival for the launch of its Disney+ streaming service, WarnerMedia has been quietly tinkering away in the background, building what may wind up being one of the most competitive forces in the world of streaming media. And now it may finally have a name.
Though it is not confirmed, and reportedly, a few different labels are still being considered, it has been disclosed that HBO Max seems to be the frontrunner.
RELATED: WarnerMedia’s SVOD Service Might Be Expensive But It Will Likely Include HBO And Cinemax
As was previously reported that the streaming service would include HBO and Cinemax and that current subscribers to those premium channels would automatically be enrolled in the streaming service at no additional charge. So right out of the gate, the WarnerMedia service will have millions of subscribers. The service will also offer programming from TBS, TNT, TRUTV, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and CNN.
And as has been widely reported, Warner Brothers is pulling some of its programming from other streaming services including ‘Friends’, ‘The Office’, and ‘Seinfeld’. Sure those are older shows that most people have seen a million times, but as it turns out, ‘The Office’ is the #1 streaming show on Netflix! And last year, Netflix paid $100 million just to keep ‘Friends’ for one year, so clearly that one is a pretty significant hit for them as well. Among the other sitcoms that WarnerMedia is expected to “call home” are ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and ‘Parks and Recreation’.
Speaking of classic sitcoms, it is rumored that the new streaming service will be crafting reboots of ‘Family Matters’ and ‘Step by Step’.
HBO Max (or whatever it winds up being called) is pricey, with its monthly fee expected to be $16 or $17. But in addition to this “comfort food” lineup of sitcoms, it will also offer all HBO and Cinemax original series, and starting in 2020, more original programming, including ‘Dune: The Sisterhood’, to be directed by Denis Villeneuve, the helmer of the upcoming big screen reboot of ‘Dune’; and the animated ‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai’.
How does HBO Max sound as a name for this new streaming service?
Source: TV Line
