HBO Max Announces Official Launch Date, First Originals Slate
There’s more competition than ever for streaming services — but there’s also more demand than ever for home entertainment thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. WarnerMedia hopes it’s the perfect time to start a new streaming site, as they announced today the new HBO Max launches on May 27.
In a press release, the company said the service will launch with “10,000 hours of premium content,” along with several new original series and shows. First up is Love Life, billed as “the first full-length scripted series to star Oscar® nominee Anna Kendrick” and “a fresh take on a romantic comedy anthology series.” Here’s the trailer:
Next up is On the Record, the documentary about “music executive Drew Dixon as she grapples with her decision to become one of the first women of color, in the wake of #MeToo, to come forward and publicly name hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of sexual assault.” The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January and garnered significant controversy after original executive producer Oprah Winfrey stopped supporting the film because of “creative differences” with the filmmakers. Here’s the trailer:
Next up is Legendary, about “voguing teams (aka “houses”) [who] must compete in unbelievable balls and showcase sickening fashion in order to achieve “legendary” status.”
In Craftopia, “9 to 15-year old contestants put their imaginations to the test and make their crafting dreams come true in a magical studio.”
HBO Max will also have brand new Looney Tunes cartoons at launch as well:
Finally, The Not-Too-Late Show With Elmo is a talk show for kids starring Elmo from Sesame Street:
The press release promises more originals through the summer and fall at a “regular cadence,” including “The Flight Attendant, starring and executive produced by Kaley Cuoco, from Berlanti Productions and based on the novel by New York Times bestselling author Chris Bohjalian,” and “the highly anticipated Friends unscripted cast reunion special.” (The special was supposed to be shot this spring; it was postponed because of coronavirus.) HBO Max’s library of older series and films will include titles “from Warner Bros.’ 100-year content collection, New Line, library titles from DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes, a selection of classic films curated in partnership with TCM, and more.”
While I’m sure WarnerMedia (not to mention Friends fans) wish they had gotten that Friends special done to include at launch, but it’s still a decent beginning, particularly if the library offerings are deep and diverse. We’ll find out at the end of May.
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