HBO Max - A WarnerMedia Original

We’ve known for some time now that AT&T owned WarnerMedia (like every other major entertainment conglomerate) have been keen on entering the lucrative streaming market, with much talk of their own streaming service set to launch early next year. Now WarnerMedia have officially announced the launch of HBO Max for spring 2020, which looks set to be a serious competitor to the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and co.

The service will be home to all HBO programming along with content from WarnerMedia’s vast library of brands and networks. The service will also be home to several “Max Originals”, content made for and exclusively on HBO Max.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the announcement:
  • Launching in spring 2020 (US only).
  • Premium content available from HBO, Warner Bros, New Line, DC Entertainment, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, The CW, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, and more.
  • The service will include original content from their various brands as well as new projects.
  • Exclusive streaming rights to popular shows including Friends and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
  • Pricing for the service is yet to be announced.
Most of this news is no surprise to those who keep up to date with the streaming world, however even I am slightly taken aback when you realise just how much content WarnerMedia has to offer. With decade’s worth of programming from TV’s biggest brands, AT&T/WarnerMedia are in a strong position to compete when they launch next year.

HBO Max will have content appealing to all types of audiences (Cartoon Network/children; CNN/adults; New Line/Mature; DC Entertainment/family; etc), which makes their streaming service a fantastic option for consumers. Live sports could be considered a missing link, however it shouldn’t pose too much of an issue considering live sports are still popular on traditional TV. With all this content in one service, HBO Max could prove a tough competitor to Disney as they put forward their plans for Disney+/Hulu.


WarnerMedia, Disney, and soon Comcast, will all come to market in the coming year with competitive (yet distinct) direct-to-consumer offerings, powered by strong brand recognition of film/TV built up over multiple generations. It will be interesting to see how these services are eventually priced, and which one/s consumers pull towards more, and the impact it will have on Netflix and Amazon Prime.


HBO Max is set to be a big player in the streaming market going forward…but then again, so is everyone else.

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