HBO Max announces second wave of programming that begins June 18, 2020

May 13, 2020

The following is a press release from HBO Max:

HBO Max has revealed the second slate of premium Max Originals available to viewers after the streamer’s May 27th launch. The next wave of titles coming to the platform begins Thursday, June 18th with the debut of the entire first season of the unscripted kids adventure competition series Karma, led by YouTube host Michelle Khare.

On Thursday, June 25th, HBO Max will premiere an original second season of the critically acclaimed DC Universe fan-favorite Doom Patrol; an original second season of Sesame Workshop’s animated series Esme & Roy, taking preschool-aged viewers on learning adventures through Monsterdale; a brand new third season of the comedy thriller Search Party (the first two seasons will be available on the platform at launch on May 27th); and Adventure Time: Distant Lands- BMO, the first of four hourlong breakout specials resurrecting the Emmy® and Peabody award-winning franchise Adventure Time.

Thursday, July 9th is the premiere of the three-part documentary series Expecting Amy, an unfiltered and intimate view into comedian Amy Schumer’s life on tour creating a stand-up special during her difficult pregnancy, directed and edited by Alexander Hammer, and the adult animated comedy Close Enough, a hilarious look at the surreal life of a millennial family living with roommates, from J.G. Quintel, creator of the Emmy-winning Regular Show.

On Thursday, July 16th, the multi- generational family docusoap House of Ho, chronicling the daily lives of patriarch Binh Ho, matriarch Hue Ho, their daughter Judy Ho, their son Washington Ho and his wife Lesley Ho, Aunt Tina, and Cousin Sammy, lands on the platform.

On Thursday, July 23rd, HBO Max will debut Cartoon Network Studios’ animated children’s series Tig n’ Seek, following eight-year-old Tiggy and his gadget-building cat Gweeseek.

On Thursday, July 30th, HBO Max presents the U.S. premieres of the scripted comedy Frayed, which follows a wealthy Londoner as she travels back to the Australian home she escaped as a teen, and the unscripted heartwarming British animal rescue series The Dog House.

On Thursday August 6, Seth Rogen’s comedy feature, An American Pickle will world premiere as the first HBO Max original film on the platform under the Warner Max label.

(Full program descriptions below.)

“Shortly after the initial launch our monthly strategy kicks in, as we introduce great new originals every month throughout the year,” said Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer, HBO Max, President, TNT, TBS, and truTV.

“We want to provide audiences with a wide-ranging and consistent flow of high-quality programming across all genres,” added Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content, HBO Max. “From scripted series and intimate documentaries, to premium animation for kids and adults, to feature length films from teams at the top of their game, our creators bring it all, each with their own unique take, building a slate of originals that is nothing short of amazing.”

These new titles will join the previously announced day one Max Originals Love Life, a scripted comedy starring Anna Kendrick; Sundance 2020 Official Selection feature documentary On the Record; underground ballroom dance competition series Legendary; Craftopia, hosted by YouTube sensation LaurDIY; the all-new Looney Tunes Cartoons from Warner Bros. Animation; and Sesame Workshop’s The Not Too Late Show with Elmo.

HBO’s summer premieres will be also available on the platform as they debut on HBO, including I May Destroy You, executive produced, written by, and starring Michaela Coel on June 7th; the 1930s Los Angeles drama Perry Mason, starring Emmy® winner Matthew Rhys on June 21st; the six-part documentary series I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, based on the best-selling book by Michelle McNamara on June 28th; the fourth season of the anthology series Room 104 airing July 24th; and from Misha Green and executive producers Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams, the drama series Lovecraft Country, airing on HBO this August.

(Full program descriptions below.)

Newly announced library series available at launch include TNT’s Emmy Award-winning The Alienist, the first four seasons of truTV’s hit show Impractical Jokers, and Adult Swim’s beloved series Robot Chicken. Additionally, HBO Max has confirmed that as part of its previously announced deal with BBC Studios, shows available on day one will also include the U.S. premieres of Trigonometry, a love story about three people who are made for each other; the comedy Ghosts, about a group of former inhabitants who haunt a country mansion; Home, following an average family and the refugee who escapes in the boot of their car; and the comedy Stath Lets Flats where a rubbish lettings agent aims to take over the family business in North London. At launch, HBO Max will also offer BBC Studios titles including the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood; Luther, starring Idris Elba; the nine-part miniseries The Honorable Woman; Ricky Gervais’ original mockumentary The Office; and seasons 17-25 of the hit car show Top Gear. Additionally, HBO Max will become the home of Stage 13’s series Independent, following the lives of four independent hip-hop artists; Lipstick Empire, telling the story of the founders of Melt Cosmetics; the horror-comedy feature film Snatchers, an official selection at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival; and the world premiere of Happily Ever Avatar, a series following three young couples who find love through playing a video game produced in partnership with Magical Elves.

Adding to the previously announced launch slate of feature films acquired for the platform, HBO Max will offer powerhouse titles on day one such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, An American in Paris, Blade Runner: The Final Cut, Blood Diamond, Braveheart, Citizen Kane, Friday the 13th, Godzilla, Gone with the Wind, the Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night, the Lethal Weapon series, Monsters Vs. Aliens, A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, North by Northwest, Rebel without a Cause, Singin’ in the Rain, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and V for Vendetta. HBO Max will also launch with titles via the HBO service including fan favorites such as the original Alien franchise, the American Pie series, Anastasia, Babe, Die Hard, The Flintstones, In Bruges, The Indian in the Cupboard, Jaws, The Land Before Time series, Moulin Rouge!, and Teen Witch.

HBO MAX ORIGINALS AVAILABLE IN THE SECOND WAVE OF PROGRAMMING:

Available June 18th:

KARMA

Karma takes sixteen contestants, ranging in age from 12 to 15, completely off the grid, away from parents and the normal comforts of home, to solve puzzles and overcome physical challenges, with the laws of karma setting the rules. This adventure competition series, led by YouTube host Michelle Khare, will test the mental and physical stamina of its young contestants as they unravel how their social actions impact their success in the game. Focus, giving, humility, growth, connection, change, and patience are the path to becoming the “Karma Champion.” But more importantly, the players learn one of life’s most profound lessons: “What you give out, you get back.”

Karma is executive produced by JD Roth, Adam Greener, and Sara Hansemenn for GoodStory Entertainment with Fred Pichel serving as showrunner and executive producer.

Available June 25th:

ADVENTURE TIME: DISTANT LANDS – BMO

Return to the Land of Ooo and beyond in Adventure Time: Distant Lands. Based on the animated series Adventure Time created by Pendleton Ward and executive produced by Adam Muto, these four breakout specials explore the unseen corners of the world with characters both familiar and brand new. The first of these specials is BMO, which follows the lovable little robot on a new adventure. When there’s a deadly space emergency in the farthest reaches of the galaxy, there’s only one hero to call, and it’s probably not BMO. Except that this time it is!

Adventure Time: Distant Lands – BMO is produced by Cartoon Network Studios.

DOOM PATROL SEASON TWO

DC’s strangest group of heroes — Cliff Steele aka Robotman (Brendan Fraser), Larry Trainor aka Negative Man (Matt Bomer), Rita Farr aka Elasti-Woman (April Bowlby), Jane aka Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero), and Victor Stone aka Cyborg (Joivan Wade) — are back again to save the world. That is, if they can find a way to grow up…both figuratively and literally. Following the defeat of Mr. Nobody, the members of the Doom Patrol now find themselves mini-sized and stranded on Cliff’s toy race car track. Here they begin to deal with their feelings of betrayal by Niles Caulder aka The Chief (Timothy Dalton), while confronting their own personal baggage. And as each member faces the challenge of growing beyond their own past traumatic experiences, they must come together to embrace and protect the newest member of the family: Dorothy Spinner (Abigail Shapiro), Niles’ daughter, whose powers remain a mysterious but real threat to bringing on the end of the world.

Doom Patrol is produced by Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television with Jeremy Carver, Geoff Johns, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Chris Dingess serving as executive producers. With episodes debuting simultaneously on DC UNIVERSE, the series is based on characters created for DC by Arnold Drake, Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani.

ESME & ROY

Esme and Roy are best friends — and the best monstersitters in Monsterdale! The animated series from the makers of Sesame Street will bring little viewers into a colorful world where even the littlest monsters can overcome big challenges together.

The series is produced by Sesame Workshop.

SEARCH PARTY

Search Party is a comedy thriller about a group of privileged, self-absorbed twenty-somethings whose search for a long-lost missing friend leads them down a dark and shocking path of no return. Seasons one and two of the series will be available on HBO Max at launch, May 27th. Season three, premiering June 25th, finds the gang swept up in the trial of the century after Dory (Alia Shawkat) and Drew (John Reynolds) are charged for the semi-accidental murder of a private investigator. As Elliott (John Early) and Portia (Meredith Hagner) grapple with whether or not to testify as witnesses, the friends are pitted against each other and thrust into the national spotlight. Dory’s sanity begins to fracture, and it becomes increasingly clear that the group may not have brunch together again for quite some time.

Search Party is executive produced by Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers, Michael Showalter, and Jax Media’s Lilly Burns and Tony Hernandez.

Available July 9th:

CLOSE ENOUGH

From JG Quintel, creator of the Emmy Award-winning Regular Show comes Close Enough, a surreal animated comedy about a married couple, their five-year-old daughter, and their two divorced best friends/roommates all living together on the east side of Los Angeles. They’re navigating that transitional time in your 30s when life is about growing up, but not growing old. It’s about juggling work, kids, and pursuing your dreams, while avoiding time-traveling snails, stripper clowns, and murderous mannequins. Their life may not be ideal but for now, it’s close enough.

Close Enough is created by JG Quintel and produced by Cartoon Network Studios.

EXPECTING AMY

Amy Schumer in “Expecting Amy” (Photo courtesy of HBO Max)

Expecting Amy is an unfiltered three-part documentary that shows the struggle, strength and ambition that has made Amy Schumer one of the singular comic voices of all time. It takes viewers behind-the-scenes as Schumer battles through an extraordinarily difficult pregnancy while documenting the formation of a comedy special. Schumer continues touring to prepare for the taping in Chicago that she isn’t sure she will be able to execute. It focuses on pulling the curtain completely back on her marriage to husband Chris Fischer, and the journey to his diagnosis on the autism spectrum. From hospitalizations to going out in front of a crowd of thousands, to quiet moments at home with her family, Schumer shares it all. Beginning the day she found out she was pregnant, through the birth of her child, she showcases her incredible journey on the road, revealing the challenges of pregnancy, marriage and the execution of creating a stand-up special. Expecting Amy offers a hilarious and raw 360-degree look at this new stage of her life. It’s like Jerry Seinfeld’s movie “Comedian,” if he had been pregnant. With her family and friends along for the ride to support her and keep her sane and balanced, she does it all with perseverance, heart and the priceless sense of humor she’s known for.

Produced by Schumer, Expecting Amy is directed and edited by Alexander Hammer, whose previous work includes Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé.

Available July 16th:

HOUSE OF HO

Patriarch Binh Ho and his wife Hue Ho immigrated from Vietnam to the United States with little money, relying on hard work to establish the ultimate American dream. The power couple has built a multimillion-dollar bank, a real estate development company, and a new generation of American Hos. The series pulls back the curtain on their lavish Houston lifestyle and showcases the tight family connections that unite them as well as the multi-generational outrageous drama that ensues. The featured family includes patriarch Binh Ho, matriarch Hue Ho, their daughter Judy Ho, their son Washington Ho and his wife Lesley Ho, Aunt Tina, and Cousin Sammy.

Katy Wallin, Stephanie Bloch Chambers, and Nick Lee executive produce the non-fiction series with co-executive producers Amanda Ly and Rosalina Lydster. House of Ho is produced by Wallin Chambers Entertainment in association with Lionsgate Television.

Available July 23rd:

TIG N’ SEEK

From creator Myke Chilian, Tig n’ Seek follows an upbeat and eccentric 8-year-old boy named Tiggy and his cat, Gweeseek. Tiggy not only works at the Department of Lost and Found, finding lost items all throughout Wee-Gee City, he lives there too! Though he tries to help his friends whenever he can, his over-eagerness and neurotic quirks often lead to chaos in the Department. Tiggy’s partner and best friend is his cat, Gweeseek. She’s a graceful, friendly kitty who appears to be a normal cat, but is also capable of inventing extraordinary gadgets to help her friends in times of need. Join Tig n’ Seek as they navigate the wacky day-to-day dilemmas of working at the Department of Lost and Found.

Tig n’ Seek is produced by Cartoon Network Studios.

Available July 30th:

THE DOG HOUSE

There are nearly nine million dogs in Britain – but finding the right homes for them isn’t always easy. Set inside a rural British Dog Rescue Centre famous for its commitment to matching homeless dogs with new owners, The Dog House bears witness to the joy, comedy and pathos of the human-dog dating experience. Each episode records the arrivals of unwanted pets complete with heart-rending tales of abandonment. At the same time, they tell stories of families, couples, and singletons, all carrying their own baggage of poignant and touching backstory and hoping their lives might be transformed by the introduction of a new four-legged friend. The climax of each story is the theatre of the meet. Multiple fixed cameras mounted inside a special pen observe every beat of the first meetings between the dogs and their prospective new owners. Will the nervous dog come out of its shell? Will there be a connection? Will lives be changed forever?

Produced by Five Mile Films, The Dog House is distributed by Channel 4 in the UK.

FRAYED

Set in 1989, this comedy follows the journey of Sammy Cooper, a fabulously wealthy London housewife who is forced to return to her hometown in Newcastle, Australia. In coming home, Sammy must revisit her past and the events that led her to flee as a teenager years ago.

Frayed stars creator, writer and producer Sarah Kendall. Clelia Mountford, Sharon Horgan, Kevin Whyte, Morwenna Gordon, Rick Kalowski and Que Minh Luu serve as executive producers. Frayed is a Merman production in association with Guesswork Television for ABC (Australia) and Sky (UK) in association with Create NSW. The series is distributed by NBCUniversal Global Distribution on behalf of Sky Studios.

Available August 6th:

AN AMERICAN PICKLE

Based on Simon Rich’s 2013 New Yorker novella, An American Pickle stars Seth Rogen as Herschel Greenbaum, a struggling laborer who immigrates to America in 1920 with dreams of building a better life for his beloved family. One day, while working at his factory job, he falls into a vat of pickles and is brined for 100 years. The brine preserves him perfectly and when he emerges in present day Brooklyn, he finds that he hasn’t aged a day. But when he seeks out his family, he is troubled to learn that his only surviving relative is his great-grandson Ben Greenbaum (also played by Rogen), a mild-mannered computer coder whom Herschel can’t even begin to understand.

Brandon Trost directs Rich’s adaptation with Rogen, Evan Goldberg and James Weaver producing for Point Grey. Rich, Point Grey’s Alex McAtee and Ted Gidlow serve as executive producers on the feature.

HBO ORIGINALS AVAILABLE SUMMER 2020:

Available June 7th:

I MAY DESTROY YOU

A fearless, frank and provocative series that explores the question of sexual consent in contemporary life and how, in the new landscape of dating and relationships, we make the distinction between liberation and exploitation.

Feted as the ‘voice of her generation,’ Arabella (Michaela Coel) is complex, original and highly talented. But, distracted by the pressures of her first triumph, she is struggling to write her second novel and is in danger of becoming destructive and self-absorbed. After being sexually assaulted in a nightclub, her life changes irreversibly and Arabella is forced to reassess everything: her career, her friends, even her family. As Arabella struggles to come to terms with what has happened, she begins a journey of self-discovery. Often painful, sometimes funny, it leads her to some surprising places – and controversial conclusions.

Stars Michaela Coel (“Chewing Gum”). The cast also includes Weruche Opia (“Inside No9”), Paapa Essiedu (“Kiri”), Aml Ameen (“Yardie”), Adam James (“Belgravia”), Sarah Niles (“Catastrophe”), Ann Akin (“Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams”), Harriet Webb (“Plebs”), Ellie James (“Giri/Haji”), Franc Ashman (“Peep Show”), Karan Gill (“Flesh & Blood”), Natalie Walter (“Horrible Histories”), and Samson Ajewole.

Executive producers for Various Artists Ltd, Phil Clarke and Roberto Troni; executive producer for FALKNA Productions/writer/director/star, Michaela Coel; producer, Simon Maloney; producer, Simon Meyers; director, Sam Miller; production companies, Various Artists Ltd and FALKNA Productions. I May Destroy You is a co-production between HBO and BBC Studios and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution, excluding the UK and Ireland where the series will be distributed by BBC Studios.

Available June 21st:

PERRY MASON

1931, Los Angeles. While the rest of the country struggles from the Great Depression, this city is booming! Oil! Olympic Games! Talking Pictures! Evangelical Fervor! And a child kidnapping gone very, very wrong! Based on characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner, this new series follows the origins of American fiction’s most legendary criminal defense lawyer, Perry Mason (Matthew Rhys). When the case of the decade breaks down his door, Mason’s relentless pursuit of the truth reveals a fractured city and just maybe, a pathway to redemption for himself.

Matthew Rhys, Tatiana Maslany and John Lithgow star. The cast also includes Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Nate Corddry, Veronica Falcon, Jefferson Mays, Gayle Rankin, Lili Taylor, Juliet Rylance, Andrew Howard, Robert Patrick, and Stephen Root.

Executive producers for Team Downey, Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, Amanda Burrell; writer/showrunner/executive producer, Ron Fitzgerald; executive producer, Joe Horacek; writer/showrunner/executive producer, Rolin Jones; director/executive producer, Tim Van Patten; co-executive producer Aida Rodgers; star/producer, Matthew Rhys.

Available June 28th:

I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK

This six-part documentary series based on the book of the same name explores writer Michelle McNamara’s investigation into the dark world of a violent predator she dubbed the Golden State Killer. Terrorizing California in the 1970s and ‘80s, the Golden State Killer was responsible for 50 home-invasion rapes and 12 murders. This series gives voice to the survivors and their families, documenting an era when sex crimes were often dismissed or hidden in shame. A timely inquiry into our macabre preoccupation with true crime and a cautionary tale of the dangerous lure of addiction, the series is a riveting meditation on obsession and loss, chronicling the unrelenting path of a mysterious killer and the fierce determination of one woman to bring the case to light.

The series is directed by Academy Award nominee and Emmy® winning director Liz Garbus (HBO’s “Who Killed Garrett Phillips,” “Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper”) and produced by Story Syndicate. Additional directors on the series include Elizabeth Wolff, Myles Kane and Josh Koury.

Available July 24th:

ROOM 104

Created by Mark and Jay Duplass (HBO’s “Animals.” and “Togetherness”), the late-night, half-hour anthology series Room 104 returns with 12 new episodes, telling unique and unexpected tales of the characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain motel. While the room stays the same, every episode of the series features a different story, with the tone, plot, characters, and even the time period, changing with each installment. Providing one last glimpse into the lives of the guests in Room 104, the final season of the genre bending, and risk-taking anthology proves to be another showcase of writing, performing and directing.

Season 4 Cast includes: Mark Duplass (first time as actor in series history), Hari Nef, Logan Miller, Jillian Bell, Jon Bass, Dave Bautista, Melissa Fumero, Vivian Bang, Finn Roberts, Adam Shapiro, Breeda Wool, Kevin Nealon, Erinn Hayes, Ron Funches, Sadie Stanley, Shannon Purser, Kendra Carelli, Benjamin Papac, Alison Jaye, Tim Granaderos, Oliva Crocicchia, Harvey Guillen, Gary Cole, Linda Lavin, Jennifer Kim, Kevin McKidd, Desean Terry, Suzanne Nichols, Leonardo Nam, Lily Gladstone, Jordyn Lucas, Natasha Perez, Jake Green, Ntare Mwine, Rebecca Hazlewood, and Susan Park.

Room 104 was created by Mark Duplass and Jay Duplass; executive producers, Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, Sydney Fleischmann, Mel Eslyn and Tyler Romary; co-executive producer, Julian Wass.

Available August 2020:

LOVECRAFT COUNTRY

Based on the 2016 novel by Matt Ruff of the same name, the series follows Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) as he joins up with his friend Letitia (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and his Uncle George (Courtney B. Vance) to embark on a road trip across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father (Michael Kenneth Williams). This begins a struggle to survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and the terrifying monsters that could be ripped from a Lovecraft paperback.

Starring Jonathan Majors, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Courtney B. Vance and Michael Kenneth Williams, Wunmi Mosaku, Aunjanue Ellis and Abbey Lee. The cast also includes Jamie Harris, Jamie Chung, Tony Goldwyn, Jordan Patrick Smith, Jamie Neumann, Erica Tazel, and Mac Brandt.

Lovecraft Country is executive produced by Misha Green, who also serves as showrunner, J.J. Abrams, Jordan Peele, Bill Carraro, Yann Demange (who also directed Episode 1), Daniel Sackheim (who also directed Episodes 2 and 3) and David Knoller (executive producer on Episode 1); based on the novel by Matt Ruff. Produced by afemme, Inc., Bad Robot Productions and Monkeypaw Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.

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About HBO Max
HBO Max is WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer offering debuting May 27, 2020. With 10,000 hours of curated premium content anticipated at launch, HBO Max will offer powerhouse programming for everyone in the home, bringing together HBO, a robust slate of new original series, key third-party licensed programs and movies, and fan favorites from Warner Media’s rich library including Warner Bros., New Line, DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes and more. Sign up for updates at HBOMax.com.

About HBO
HBO® is one of the most respected and innovative entertainment brands in the world, serving iconic, award-winning programming to 140 million subscribers globally. A subsidiary of WarnerMedia, HBO is the world’s most successful pay TV service with an extensive array of programming that includes some of the most notable titles to be on television, including drama series Succession®, Watchmen®, Westworld®, Big Little Lies®, Game of Thrones®, The Sopranos®, Band of Brothers® and The Wire®, as well as comedy series Barry®, Insecure® and Sex and the City®. In the United States, HBO® and sister network Cinemax® are available across multiple platforms including HBO On Demand®, Cinemax On Demand®, HBO GO® and MAX GO®, as well as HBO NOW®. Internationally, HBO branded services, including television networks and the standalone streaming product HBO GO®, are available in more than 70 countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. HBO and Cinemax programming is also sold into more than 150 countries worldwide.

About WarnerMedia
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Now, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. WarnerMedia is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).

HBO Max announces more programs and launch date: May 27, 2020

April 21, 2020

The following is a press release from HBO Max:

WarnerMedia today announced that its highly anticipated streaming platform HBO Max will officially launch May 27th, 2020 and has unveiled its slate of premium Max Originals that will be available to viewers on DAY ONE. The slate includes the scripted comedy Love Life, starring Anna Kendrick; Sundance 2020 Official Selection feature documentary On the Recordunderground ballroom dance competition series LegendaryCraftopiahosted by YouTube sensation LaurDIY; the all-new Looney Tunes Cartoonsfrom Warner Bros. Animation; and Sesame Workshop’s The Not Too Late Show with Elmo (full program details available below.) Starting May 27th, HBO Max will offer an impressive direct-to-consumer experience with 10,000 hours of premium content including the entire HBO service, together with beloved franchises, titles past and present from Warner Bros., the best of the best from around the world, and a monthly offering of new Max Originals which guarantee something for everyone in the house – from preschoolers to teens to grownups – with scripted and unscripted series, docs, animation for kids and adults, and movies.

Today’s announcement comes with an exciting first look at the line-up of Max Originals to debut on the platform on day one.

“Our number one goal is having extraordinary content for everyone in the family, and the HBO Max programming mix we are so excited to unveil on May 27th will bear that out,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of Warner Media Entertainment and Direct-To-Consumer. “Even in the midst of this unprecedented pandemic, the all-star teams behind every aspect of HBO Max will deliver a platform and a robust slate of content that is varied, of the highest quality, and second to none. I’m knocked out by the breadth and depth of our new offering, from the Max originals, our Warner Bros library and acquisition titles from around the world, and of course the entirety of HBO.”

Consumers will quickly see that HBO Max is set apart by a foundation of loved brands built over decades but stitched together with a distinctive voice and product experience,” added Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer, HBO Max, President, TNT, TBS, and truTV. “Our team has meticulously selected a world class library catalogue and collaborated with top creators across all genres to offer a monthly cadence of original series and movies that we will program and promote for cultural impact.”

“It is thrilling to be approaching the launch of HBO Max so we can finally share the first wave of content our teams have been developing in partnership with a group of unparalleled creators,” said Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content, HBO Max. “The originals slate available at launch represents a diverse range of unique voices emblematic of the quality and scope of our programming still to come.”

After the initial launch, Max Originals will continue to premiere on the streamer at a regular cadence through summer and fall 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; the highly anticipated Friends unscripted cast reunion special; all-new original episodes of the critically acclaimed DC fan favorite Doom Patrol; the return of the critically beloved mystery comedy Search Party with a brand new season; the three-part documentary series Expecting Amyan unfiltered and intimate view into comedian Amy Schumer’s life on tour creating a stand-up special during her difficult pregnancysci-fi series Raised by Wolves from director and executive producer Ridley Scott, the award-winning creator behind The Martian, Gladiator, and Blade Runner; the adult animated comedy Close Enoughfrom J.G. Quintel (creator of Cartoon Network’s Emmy-winning Regular Show), a hilarious look at the surreal life of a millennial family living with roommates; and Adventure Time: Distant Lands- BMO, the first of four breakout specials resurrecting Cartoon Network’s Emmy and Peabody award-winning franchise Adventure Time.

HBO Max will pull from WarnerMedia’s deep library of fan favorites including motion picture and TV series 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. HBO Max will also offer an extensive selection of third-party acquired series and movie titles that stand out in the expanding marketplace.

Inspired by the legacy of HBO’s excellence, unparalleled quality, and innovative, award-winning storytelling, the new offering will be bundled with the HBO service including all of HBO’s premium originals such as WestworldBig Little LiesGame of ThronesSex and the City, VeepThe WireCurb Your Enthusiasm, Insecure, SuccessionWatchmenBarry, Euphoria, The JinxThe Sopranos and more.

Highlights of the extensive WarnerMedia portfolio of programming and acquisitions that will be available on day one include the libraries of Friends; The Big Bang Theory(new) Doctor Who; Rick and MortyThe BoondocksThe BachelorSesame Street; The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirCW shows such as Batwoman, Nancy Drew, and Katy Keenethe first season of DC’s Doom PatrolThe O.C.; Pretty Little Liarsthe CNN catalogue of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknownand much more. Soon after, the platform offering will continue to grow adding the libraries of South ParkGossip Girl, The West Wingand more within the first year of launch.

In addition to series, specials, and docs, HBO Max will feature a library of more than 2,000 feature films within the first year. Audiences will be able to watch 700 blockbuster films via the HBO service, including Crazy Rich Asians, A Star is BornAquamanand Joker, as well as films acquired specifically for HBO Max via Warner Bros., the Criterion Collection, and the acclaimed Studio Ghibli. Streaming for the first time ever in the U.S., 20 films from Japan’s legendary Studio Ghibli animation house will be available on HBO Max at launch, including Academy Award® winner Spirited Away and Academy Award nominees Howl’s Moving Castle and The Tale of the Princess Kaguyaas well as fan favorites My Neighbor Totoro, Princess MononokePonyo, and Kiki’s Delivery Service. Fans of all ages will be able to enjoy these wonder-filled films any time they want.

In addition to the premium acquired content on the platform, the WarnerMedia portfolio gives HBO Max the opportunity to curate from 100 years of the most iconic films ever made, as well as access to a library of new theatrical hits. Available films will include Casablanca, The Wizard of Oz, The Matrix, The Goonies, When Harry Met Sally, The Lord of the Rings, Citizen Kane, Gremlins, and the Lego movies, along with every DC film from the last decade, including Wonder WomanJustice League, and every Batman and Superman movie from the last 40 years.

HBO MAX ORIGINALS AVAILABLE ON DAY ONE,  MAY 27th:

CRAFTOPIA

Craftopia is an epic kids crafting competition show hosted and executive produced by YouTube influencer Lauren Riihimaki aka (LaurDIY). Creating and demonstrating crafts to over 8.9 million subscribers on her YouTube channel, LaurDIY has been deemed the “millennial Martha Stewart” by Forbes. On Craftopia, 9 to 15-year old contestants put their imaginations to the test and make their crafting dreams come true in a magical studio. After racing to fill up their carts with inspiring materials from the studio “store,” crafters meet larger-than-life challenges, making truly inventive and amazing creations in order to take home the ‘Craftrophia.’

Craftopia is executive produced by Rhett Bachner and Brien Meagher for B17 Entertainment.

LEGENDARY

Pulling directly from the underground ballroom community, voguing teams (aka “houses”) must compete in unbelievable balls and showcase sickening fashion in order to achieve “legendary” status. The cast includes MC Dashaun Wesley and DJ MikeQ as well as celebrity judges Law Roach, Jameela Jamil, Leiomy Maldonado, and Megan Thee Stallion. From Scout Productions, Emmy Award ® winners David Collins (Queer Eye), Rob Eric (Queer Eye) and Michael Williams (Queer Eye) serve as executive producers. Jane Mun (People’s Choice Awards, MTV Music Awards, America’s Best Dance Crew) and Josh Greenberg (Lip Sync Battle, Sunday Best, America’s Best Dance Crew) serve as executive producers and showrunners.

LOVE LIFE

Love Life, the first full-length scripted series to star Oscar® nominee Anna Kendrick, is about the journey from first love to last love, and how the people we’re with along the way make us into who we are when we finally end up with someone forever. This fresh take on a romantic comedy anthology series is from creator and co-showrunner Sam Boyd (In a Relationship) and is produced by Lionsgate Television and Feigco Entertainment. The series will follow a different protagonist’s quest for love each season, with each half-hour episode telling the story of one of their relationships. Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect, A Simple Favor) stars in the first season along with Zoë Chao (Downhill, Strangers), Peter Vack (Someone Great, The Bold Type), Sasha Compere (Miracle Workers, Uncorked), and Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread, Another Year).

Kendrick serves as an executive producer alongside Paul Feig (A Simple Favor, Bridesmaids) and Dan Magnante (Someone Great). Sam Boyd, who wrote the pilot and directs, also executive produces with co-showrunner and executive producer Bridget Bedard (Transparent and Ramy).

LOONEY TUNES CARTOONS

Looney Tunes Cartoons, an all-new series from Warner Bros. Animation starring the cherished Looney Tunes characters. Looney Tunes Cartoons echoes the high production value and process of the original Looney Tunes theatrical shorts with a cartoonist-driven approach to storytelling. Marquee Looney Tunes characters will be featured in their classic pairings in simple, gag-driven and visually vibrant stories. The new series will include 80 eleven-minute episodes, each comprised of animated shorts that vary in length and include adapted storylines for today’s audience. Fans can also look forward to holiday-themed specials. Looney Tunes Cartoons is produced by Warner Bros. Animation and features a talented group of voice cast members including Eric Bauza, Jeff Bergman and Bob Bergen. Pete Browngardt (Uncle Grandpa) and Sam Register (Teen Titans Go!) serve as executive producers.

THE NOT TOO LATE SHOW WITH ELMO

Elmo is the host of his very own talk show and he’s going to bring you some (not-too-late) fun with an all-new, celeb-studded talk show series. This brand-new “primetime” series brings familiar Sesame Street friends like Elmo, Cookie Monster, celebrity guests, and laughs the whole family can enjoy! Elmo will interview guests such as fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and John Oliver, comedian John Mullaney, New York Times best-selling author Kwame Alexander, actress Blake Lively, and award-winning musical acts Lil Nas X and The Jonas Brothers.

The Not Too Late Show with Elmo is produced by Sesame Workshop.

ON THE RECORD

Directed and produced by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering (The Hunting Ground, The Invisible War), and first reported by the New York TimesOn The Record presents the powerful  haunting story of music executive Drew Dixon (collaborator on hit records by Method Man and Mary J. Blige, Estelle and Kanye West, and Whitney Houston) 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 accuse hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of sexual assault.

The documentary, which premiered  at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews, chronicles not only Dixon’s story but that of several other accusers  –  Sil Lai Abrams, Sheri Sher–  delving deeply into the ways women of colors’ voices are all too often silenced and ignored when they allege sexual assault; as well as the cultural forces that pressure them to remain silent.

On The Record is produced by Dick and Ziering’s Jane Doe Films with Dan Cogan, Geralyn Dreyfous and Jenny Raskin for Impact Partners, Regina K Scully for Artemis Rising, Ian Darling for Shark Island Institute and Abigail Disney for Level Forward serving as executive producers. The creative team includes producers Jamie Rogers and Amy Herdy.


HBO Max Social
Twitter: @HBOMax
YouTube: youtube.com/hbomax
Instagram: #HBOMax
Facebook: #HBOMax


About HBO Max 
HBO Max is WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer offering debuting in spring 2020. With 10,000 hours of curated premium content anticipated at launch, HBO Max will offer powerhouse programming for everyone in the home, bringing together HBO, a robust slate of new original series, key third-party licensed programs and movies, and fan favorites from Warner Media’s rich library including Warner Bros., New Line, DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes and more. Sign up for updates at HBOMax.com.

About WarnerMedia
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Now, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. WarnerMedia is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).

 

HBO Max greenlights dog-grooming competition show; Jess Rona leads the panel of judges

April 17, 2020

Jess Rona (Photo courtesy of HBO Max)

HBO Max, the upcoming direct-to-consumer offering from WarnerMedia set to launch in the spring of 2020, announced today the greenlight of Hot Dog (working title), from Jax Media and Making It’s Nicolle Yaron. The twelve-episode, half-hour series features three dog groomers facing off in a full head-to-tail creative competition showcasing canine breeds of all kinds.

Inspired by the social platforms and coffee table book from celebrity dog grooming expert Jess Rona, each episode will include imaginative challenges and out of the box themes meant to spotlight the best looks for man’s best friend. Featuring comedic commentary from celebrity guests and a host, Rona will lead the judging panel with the Best in Show winner walking away with a cash prize and first place rosette.

Jess Rona built a following online with her signature slo-motion blow dry videos and serves as the dog grooming artist to many celebrity dogs. In addition to grooming, she is the author of Groomed, the director of Tegan and Sarah’s Closer video, and has appeared on Drunk History and New Girl.

“Jess Rona has made a name for herself as dog groomer-to-the stars and it is so fun to be able to bring her incredibly successful online brand and business to life in this way, ” said Jennifer O’Connell, executive vice president of original non-fiction and kids programming for HBO Max. “Expect pure escapism that the whole family can watch together and root for their favorite pooch with the most fabulous and creative trans-fur-mations.”

Hot Dog is a comedy competition series from JAX Media as they continue to expand their slate into the unscripted space.

“We are very excited to work with Nicolle, Jess and HBO Max on this very important project. There’s no better time to watch a dog get a bath than now,” says JAX Media’s partners Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns, Brooke Posch and John Skidmore.

The series will be executive produced by Jax Media’s Tony Hernandez, Brooke Posch and Séamus Murphy-Mitchell along with Making It’s Nicolle Yaron and Jess Rona. Abi McCarthy has been tapped as showrunner.

“Haute Dog” (Photo by John P. Johnson/HBO Max)

September 16, 2020 UPDATE:

“Haute Dog,” HBO Max’s head-to-tail dog grooming creative competition series showcasing canine breeds of all kinds is launching with its first six episodes on Thursday, September 24, 2020. Emmy nominee Robin Thede (“A Black Lady Sketch Show”) is joining celebrity dog groomer Jess Rona to judge the imaginative challenges and out of the box themes meant to spotlight the best looks for man’s best friend. These doggy makeover wizards compete to turn the K-9s into K-10s. Matt Rogers (“Las Culturistas”) serves as the show’s host.

The most adorable competition series ever created, each episode features three dog groomers facing off over two rounds. Rogers provides comedic commentary as Rona leads the judging panel with her extensive knowledge of breeds and proper grooming techniques, with Thede serving as “haute” expert evaluating the outrageous and jaw-dropping transformations. The judges determine who wins Best in Show, with the lucky groomer walking away with $10,000 and a first place rosette. Rona’s coffee table book Groomed and social platforms, including her signature slo-motion blow dry videos, inspired the series.

Jax Media completed production of the series over four weeks this summer in Simi Valley following full union guidelines and COVID protocols, with zero positive results from cast, crew and producers. Tests were conducted regularly across four weeks of production from load in to strike.

About HBO Max
HBO Max is WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer offering debuting in spring 2020. With 10,000 hours of curated premium content anticipated at launch, HBO Max will offer powerhouse programming for everyone in the home, bringing together HBO, a robust slate of new original series, key third-party licensed programs and movies, and fan favorites from Warner Media’s rich library including Warner Bros., New Line, DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes and more. Sign up for updates at HBOMax.com.

About WarnerMedia
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Now, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. WarnerMedia is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).

About JAX MEDIA
Founded in 2011, JAX Media is a television and film production juggernaut run by Partners Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns, John Skidmore and Brooke Posch with offices in New York, Los Angeles and London. Jax Media has created a production model that allows talent to maintain control of their content and the results have been answered with awards and critical acclaim. As a company, they provide comprehensive production from development through post with a highly experience in-house production team who expertly implements the unique Jax Media model that has proven itself time and time again as a success for studios, networks and creatives alike. Jax Media currently has 11 shows in production and was nominated for 18 Emmy Awards for the 2018-2019 TV season alone

WarnerMedia Day 2019: All the new HBO Max and HBO shows announced so far

October 29, 2019

HBO Max

The following is a press release from WarnerMedia:

HBO MAX, WarnerMedia’s new streaming platform launching in May of 2020, will offer an impressive direct-to-consumer experience with 10,000 hours of premium content for everyone, ranging from families with young children to adults of all ages. Anchored with and inspired by the legacy of HBO’s excellence, unparalleled quality and innovative, award-winning storytelling, the new offering will bundle all of HBO together with an extensive collection of new original programming produced exclusively for HBO Max (Max Originals), select favorites from WarnerMedia’s enormous portfolio of beloved brands and libraries, and key third-party acquisitions.

HBO Max Social
Twitter: @HBOMax
YouTube: youtube.com/hbomax
Instagram: #HBOMax
Facebook: #HBOMax

MAX ORIGINALS
*Announced Today, October 29, 2019

KIDS AND FAMILY

Adventure Time: Distant Lands
These four new specials will continue the Adventure Time stories that captured imaginations and introduced unlikely heroes Finn and Jake, best buds who traversed the mystical Land of Ooo and encountered its colorful inhabitants.
BMO follows the lovable little robot from Adventure Time. When there’s a deadly space emergency in the farthest reaches of the galaxy, there’s only one hero to call, and it’s probably not BMO. Except that this time it is!
Obsidian features Marceline & Princess Bubblegum as they journey to the imposing, beautiful Glass Kingdom—and deep into their tumultuous past—to prevent an earthshaking catastrophe.
Wizard City follows Peppermint Butler, starting over at the beginning, as just another inexperienced Wizard School student. When mysterious events at the campus cast suspicion on Pep, and his checkered past, can he master the mystic arts in time to prove his innocence?
Together Again brings Finn and Jake together again, to rediscover their brotherly bond and embark on the most important adventure of their lives.
Genre: Animation
Creator: Pendleton Ward
Executive Producer: Adam Muto
Produced by: Cartoon Network Studios

Craftopia
Craftopia is an epic kids crafting competition show hosted by YouTube influencer Lauren Riihimaki (aka LaurDIY). Contestants, nine to fifteen years old, put their imaginations to the test and make their crafting dreams come true in a magical studio. After racing to fill their carts with inspiring materials, crafters meet larger-than-life challenges, making the most amazing creations the world has ever seen.
Genre: Non-fiction
Host: Lauren Riihimaki
Executive Producers: Lauren Riihimaki, Rhett Bachner, Brien Meagher
Produced by: B17 Entertainment

Esme & Roy
Esme & Roy follows a young girl, Esme, and her best monster friend, Roy, on their adventures as the best monstersitters in Monsterdale. Aimed at children ages four to six, it offers a creative new approach to teaching “learning through play” and mindfulness strategies. The series invites children into a colorful world where even the littlest monsters can overcome big challenges together.
Genre: Animation
Produced by: Sesame Workshop

*The Fungies!
A prehistoric comedy, The Fungies! explores Fungietown through the whimsical quests of Seth, a young student at Fungietown Elementary. Seth loves science and sharing his exciting discoveries with all his Fungie friends. But in his search for the ultimate scientific adventure, Seth often stirs up trouble for Fungietown’s colorful inhabitants leading to hilarious and heartwarming surprises.
Genre: Animation
Creator: Stephen Neary
Executive Producer: Rob Sorcher
Produced by: Cartoon Network Studios

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
Set in 1920s Shanghai, this animated series is an epic adventure comedy for the whole family that traces the origins of the Mogwai to the lush and perilous Jade Valley, in the Western Chinese countryside.
Genre: Animation
Writer: Tze Chun
Executive Producers: Steven Spielberg, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Sam Register
Co-Executive Producers: Tze Chun, Brendan Hay
Supervising Producer: Dan Krall
Produced by: Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation

*Jellystone
Welcome to the town of Jellystone – a charming place where your favorite Hanna-Barbera characters live, work and play together…but, at the same time, can’t help but stir up trouble for one another. The animated series includes classic characters such as Yogi, Boo Boo, Snagglepuss, Adam Ant, Huckleberry Hound, Jabberjaw, Magilla Gorilla and more.
Genre: Animation
Executive Producers: Carl Greenblatt, Sam Register
Produced by: Warner Bros. Animation

Karma
Sixteen contestants, ranging in age from 12 to 15, go off the grid to overcome physical challenges, with the laws of karma setting the rules. This adventure competition series, hosted by YouTube sensation Michelle Khare, tests mental and physical stamina as the kids unravel how their social actions impact their success in the game. Focus, giving, humility, growth, connection, change and patience are the path to becoming the “Karma Champion.”
Genre: Non-fiction
Host: Michelle Khare
Showrunner: Fred Pichel
Executive Producers: JD Roth, Adam Greener, Sara Hansemenn
Produced by: GoodStory Entertainment

Little Ellen
This animated children’s show explores the world through the eyes of a hilarious and unpredictable seven-year-old Ellen DeGeneres, on her adventures in her musical hometown of New Orleans. Little Ellen takes big risks and makes big mistakes, but she’s always able to laugh at herself and bounce back when things don’t go as planned.
Genre: Animation
Executive Producers: Ellen DeGeneres, Kevin A. Leman II, Sam Register
Co-Executive Producer: Jennifer Skelly
Producer: Jason Blackman
Produced by: Warner Bros. Animation and Ellen Digital Ventures

*Looney Tunes Cartoons
An all-new Looney Tunes Cartoons series featuring the marquee characters in their classic pairings in simple, gag-driven and visually vibrant stories. HBO Max has ordered 80 eleven-minute episodes, each comprised of animated shorts that include adapted storylines for today’s audience. Fans can also look forward to holiday-themed specials.
Genre: Animation
Voice Cast Members: Eric Bauza, Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen
Executive Producers: Pete Browngardt, Sam Register
Produced by: Warner Bros. Animation

Mecha Builders
A spin-off of Sesame Street, Mecha Builders features favorite Sesame Street characters as heroes in a robot-animation style.
Genre: Animation
Produced by: Sesame Workshop

The Monster at the End of This Story
Starring lovable, furry Grover from Sesame Street, The Monster at the End of This Story is a new animated version based on the acclaimed children’s picture book, The Monster at the End of This Book.
Genre: Animation Special
Produced by: Sesame Workshop

The Not Too Late Show with Elmo
A family-centric live-action take on a late night talk show, hosted by Elmo and featuring Sesame Street’s many celebrity friends.
Genre: Talk Show
Produced by: Sesame Workshop

Sesame Street
For 50 years, Sesame Street has helped children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder by providing preschoolers with the gold standard in educational programming. Five new 35-episode seasons of this legendary series come to HBO Max.
Genre: Puppets/Live Action
Produced by: Sesame Workshop

*Tig N’ Seek
Tig N’ Seek is about eight-year-old Tiggy and his gadget-building cat, Gweeseek, as they search for the lost items of Wee Gee City. With Tiggy’s cheerful attitude and Gweeseek’s exceptional inventing capabilities, the duo humorously navigate day-to-day dilemmas at the Department of Lost and Found.
Genre: Animation
Creator: Myke Chilian
Executive Producer: Rob Sorcher
Produced by: Cartoon Network Studios

GEN Z

15 Minutes of Shame
Monica Lewinsky and Catfish’s Max Joseph’s documentary takes an in-depth look at the public shaming epidemic in our culture and explores our collective need to destroy one another. The film will feature individuals from around the globe who have been publicly shamed – while exploring the bullies, the bystanders, the media, psychologists, politicians and experts in between.
Genre: Documentary Film
Executive Producers: Monica Lewinsky, Max Joseph, Steve Ascher, Kristy Sabat
Produced by: Six West

Brad & Gary Go To…
The six-episode series will follow Hollywood power couple, Brad Goreski and Gary Janetti, as they go on a jet-setting culinary adventure around the globe, inspired by their Instagram stories that went viral this summer.
Genre: Non-fiction
Cast: Brad Goreski, Gary Janetti
Executive Producers: Brad Goreski, Gary Janetti, Matt Anderson, Nate Green, Cooper Green, Tara Long
Produced by: Purveyors of Pop and Entertainment One (eOne)

*College Girls (wt)
From Mindy Kaling, this comedy follows three 18-year-old freshman roommates at Evermore College in Vermont. A bundle of contradictions and hormones, these sexually active college girls are equal parts lovable and infuriating.
Genre: Comedy
Writer/Showrunner: Mindy Kaling
Executive Producers: Mindy Kaling, Howard Klein
Produced by: Kaling International in association with Warner Bros. Television

*DC Super Hero High
This half-hour comedy executive produced by Elizabeth Banks follows a group of students experiencing the fun and drama of adolescence at a boarding school for gifted kids. These teens are just trying to navigate the pressures of high school, but none of them realize that someday they will become legendary DC super heroes.
Genre: Comedy
Writer: Scott Weinger
Executive Producers: Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman, Scott Weinger, John D. Beck, Ron Hart
Co-executive Producer: Dannah Shinder
Produced by: Brownstone Productions in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television

Generation Hustle (wt)
From award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, Generation Hustle (wt) is a 10-part HBO Max original from CNN Original Series about the lengths young people will go to for fame, fortune, and power.
Genre: Documentary
Executive Producers: Alex Gibney, Yon Motskin, Stacey Offman, Richard Perello
Produced by: Jigsaw Productions and CNN Original Series

Gossip Girl
Eight years after the original website went dark, a new generation of New York private school teens are introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl. The prestige series will address just how much social media — and the landscape of New York itself — has changed in the intervening years.
Genre: Drama
Executive Producers: Joshua Safran, Stephanie Savage, Josh Schwartz; Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo of Alloy Entertainment
Co-executive producer: Lis Rowinski of Fake Empire
Produced by: Warner Bros. Studio

Grease: Rydell High
A joyous musical series set in and around the world of Rydell High, the show reimagines the global smash hit movie with characters old and new. It’s still the 1950s, a world that rocks with big musical numbers and new original songs. It’s the peer pressures of high school, the horrors of puberty, and the rollercoaster of life in middle America with a modern sensibility that will bring it to life for today’s musical lovers.
Genre: Musical
Executive Producers: Picturestart and Temple Hill
Produced by: Paramount Television and Picturestart

*Green Lantern
Inspired by DC Comics’ Green Lantern and introducing characters from this iconic comic, this will be one of the biggest shows Berlanti Productions has ever done.
Genre: Action Drama
Executive Producers: Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schecter
Produced by: Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television

*Strange Adventures
A superhero anthology executive produced by Greg Berlanti, Strange Adventures will feature characters from across the DC canon. The drama will explore close-ended morality tales about the intersecting lives of mortals and superhumans.
Genre: Drama
Writer/Showrunner: John Stephens
Executive Producers: Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, John Stephens
Produced by: Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television

*Tooned Out
Executive produced by Robert Zemeckis, Tooned Out is a half-hour, hybrid live-action and animated comedy in development for HBO Max. Things get a little cartoony for Mac when he starts seeing iconic cartoon characters, but they’re not just there for laughs, they’re helping him get through a very rough patch in his life.
Genre: Comedy
Creator/Writer: Jared Stern
Executive Producers: Robert Zemeckis, Jared Stern, Jack Rapke, Jackie Levine
Produced by: A Stern Talking To Productions and Compari Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Bros. Television

UNpregnant
Adapted from the young adult HarperCollins novel of the same name that tells the story of 17-year-old Veronica, who never thought she’d want to fail a test—that is, until she finds herself staring at a piece of plastic with two solid pink lines. With a promising college-bound future now disappearing before her eyes, Veronica considers a decision she never imagined she’d have to make, embarking on a three-day, 900+ mile road trip to New Mexico with her ex-best friend Bailey. The film offers a mix of humor and grounded human emotion as it tackles complicated friendships and the difficult road to adulthood…all while in a stolen car.
Genre: Feature Film
Cast: Haley Lu Richardson, Barbie Ferreira
Director: Rachel Lee Goldenberg
Writers: Jenni Hendriks, Ted Caplan
Executive Producers: Michael McGrath, Lucy Kitada, Jessica Switch
Producers: Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Erik Feig
Produced by: Picturestart and Berlanti Productions

ADULTS

Americanah
Based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s best-selling novel of the same name, Americanah is an epic love story of a woman born in Nigeria who leaves for America and her extraordinary experiences with love, heartache, adversity and self-discovery.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Lupita Nyong’o
Executive Producers: Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o for Eba Productions; Jeremy Kleiner and Dede Gardener for Plan B Entertainment; Andrea Calderwood for Potboiler Television; Didi Rea and Danielle Del for D2 Productions; and Nancy Won

Birth, Wedding, Funeral
In each episode, Lisa Ling will immerse viewers in a different country to reveal their cultures through the lens of the three universal rituals—births, weddings, and funerals. In a quest to understand what connects us and celebrate the diversity of deeply-rooted customs around the world, the series is a riveting investigation of the human experience.
Genre: Documentary Series
Host: Lisa Ling
Executive Producers: Lisa Ling, Dan Rather and Philip Kim for News and Guts, and David Shadrack Smith
Produced by: Part2 Pictures

*Bobbie Sue
After being raised among four rowdy brothers in a blue-collar neighborhood, Bobbie Sue, a headstrong young lawyer lands a career-making case with an upper crust law firm, only to realize she’s been hired for optics and not her expertise. But after discovering her powerful client, a lifelong idol of hers, is trying to cover up exploiting workers within her company, Bobbie decides to take both her and the law firm on, caution and etiquette be damned.
Genre: Feature Film
Cast: Gina Rodriguez
Director: Charles Stone III
Executive Producers: Gina Rodriguez, Emily Gipson
Producer: Donald De Line

The Boondocks
Based on the comic strip created by Aaron McGruder, The Boondocks both depicted and presaged the nation’s most roiling cultural issues. HBO Max has two new reimagined seasons and a 50-minute special.
Genre: Animation
Showrunner: Aaron McGruder
Executive Producers: Aaron McGruder, Norm Aladjem for Mainstay Entertainment, Seung Kim, Meghann Collins Robertson.
Produced by: Sony Pictures Animation in partnership with Sony Pictures Television

Bourdain
A documentary film about the uncommon life of the late storyteller, explorer and chef, Anthony Bourdain.
Genre: Documentary Film
Director/Producer: Academy Award-winning director Morgan Neville
Consulting Producers: Zero Point Zero Production
Executive produced by: CNN Films and HBOMax
Produced by: Morgan Neville’s Tremolo Productions
Theatrical Distributor: Focus

Circe
An adaptation of Madeline Miller’s International bestseller of the same name, Circe is a modern take on the world of Greek mythology told from the powerful feminist perspective of the goddess Circe, who transforms from an awkward nymph to a formidable witch, able to challenge gods, titans and monsters alike.
Genre: Drama
Writers/Executive Producers: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
Produced by: Chernin Entertainment in partnership with Endeavor Content

Crime Farm
Crime Farm is a psychosexual love story that follows Selma and Richard Eikelenboom, forensic homicide experts whose marriage thrives on their all-consuming investigations into the depravity of the world’s most notorious criminals. As a seminal case upends the paradigm of their relationship, their unique, unconventional and sometimes dangerous arrangement stretches the boundaries of marriage and science.
Genre: Drama
Executive Producers: Nicole Kidman and Per Saari from Blossom Films; Janine Sherman
Consulting Producers: Selma and Richard Eikelenboom
Produced by: Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films and Warner Horizon Scripted Television

Doom Patrol
With all-new original episodes, the critically acclaimed series features a band of superpowered freaks, part support group, part superhero team, who fight for a world that wants nothing to do with them.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Timothy Dalton, Matt Bomer, Brendan Fraser, Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby
Executive Producers: Greg Berlanti, Jeremy Carver
Produced by: Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Studio

Dune: The Sisterhood
An adaptation of Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson’s book based in the world created by Frank Herbert’s Dune, Dune: The Sisterhood explores this universe through the eyes of a mysterious order of women, the Bene Gesserit, whose extraordinary mastery of body and mind allow them to expertly weave through the feudal politics and intrigue of The Imperium.
Genre: Drama
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Executive Producers: Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts, and Dana Calvo; and Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert for the Frank Herbert estate
Co-Producer: Kevin J Anderson

Ellen’s Home Design Challenge
Design aficionado Ellen DeGeneres is giving forward-thinking designers the chance to push their creativity to the limit. DeGeneres will be on hand to weigh in on each challenge and provide humorous, colorful commentary.
Genre: Non-fiction
Executive Producers: Ellen DeGeneres, Jeff Kleeman, Arthur Smith
Produced by: Warner Bros. Unscripted & Alternative Television and A. Smith & Co. Productions in association with Telepictures and A Very Good Production

Equal
Equal pays tribute to the epic origin stories of the LGBTQ+ movement. A masterful four-part docuseries that captures the gripping and true backstories of the leaders and unsung heroes, pre-Stonewall, who changed the course of American history through their tireless activism. These warriors gave voice, often in a life-or-death battle, to millions of people yearning for equality and the desire to be themselves.
Genre: Limited Documentary Series
Executive Producers: David Collins, Michael Williams, Rob Eric and Joel Chiodi from Scout Productions; Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter from Berlanti Productions; Jim Parsons and Todd Spiewak from That’s Wonderful Productions; Jon Jashni from Raintree Ventures; Mike Darnell and Brooke Karzen from Warner Horizon Unscripted Television.

Expecting Amy (wt)
An unfiltered documentary taking viewers behind-the-scenes as Amy Schumer goes through a difficult pregnancy while on tour. From hospitalizations to going out in front of a crowd of thousands, to quiet moments at home with her family, Schumer shares it all.
Genre: Documentary Film
Cast: Amy Schumer
Producer: Amy Schumer
Editor: Alexander Hammer

First Dates Hotel
Based on the hit UK format, this charming dating series set at an affluent boutique hotel will find single people from multiple generations gathering for an intensive and tailor-made romantic experience. After fun, amusing and potentially disastrous dates, if the potential lovers like each other, they can choose to stay on for a second date in the hopes of finding out if they’re ultimately a match.
Genre: Non-fiction
Executive Producers: Ellen DeGeneres, Jeff Kleeman, Pam Healey, Dan Peirson
Produced by: Warner Bros. Unscripted & Alternative Television in association with Shed Media, A Very Good Production and Twenty Twenty Productions Limited

The Flight Attendant
A one-hour thriller series based on the novel by New York Times best-selling author Chris Bohjalia of how an entire life can change in one night. A flight attendant wakes up in the wrong hotel, in the wrong bed, with a dead man – and no idea what happened.
Genre: Thriller
Cast: Kaley Cuoco, Rosie Perez, T.R. Knight, Michiel Huisman, Sonoya Mizuno, Rosie Perez, Colin Woodell, Zosia Mamet
Adapted and written by: Steve Yockey
Director: Susanna Fogel
Executive Producer: Steve Yockey, Meredith Lavender, Marcie Ulin, Susanna Fogel, Greg Berlanti, Kaley Cuoco, Sarah Schechter
Co-Executive Producer: Suzanne McCormack
Produced by: Yes, Norman Productions and Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television

Full Bloom
An eight-episode, hour-long competition series hosted by celebrity florist Simon Lycett and featuring America’s budding florists vying to be crowned America’s best. With incredible artistic creations and floristry face-offs, Full Bloom allows audiences to escape into a surreal world, as contestants design and execute some of the most wondrous, Wonka-esque floral creations ever seen.
Genre: Non-fiction
Host: Simon Lycett
Judges: Legendary floristry artists Elizabeth Cronin and Maurice Harris
Created and produced by: Eureka Productions
Executive Producers: Chris Culvenor, Paul Franklin, Wes Dening

gen:LOCK
The half-hour animated series focuses on a near-future dystopia undergoing a new, technologically driven world war. Fifty years in the future, an oppressive authoritarian force threatens to conquer the world. A daring team is recruited to pilot a new form of devastating mecha, but they must be willing to sacrifice everything to save the world.
Genre: Animation
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Dakota Fanning, Maisie Williams, Golshifteh Farahani, David Tennant
Executive Producers: Michael B. Jordan and Alana Mayo of Outlier Society; Matt Hullum and Ryan P. Hall of Rooster Teeth

The Greatest Space
A 10-episode epic design competition show features interior designers traveling around the world to transform an eclectic mix of empty rooms into spectacular spaces.
Genre: Non-fiction
Executive Producers: Bertram van Munster, Elise Doganieri, Mark Dziak, David Collins, Michael Williams, Rob Eric
Produced by: New Media Collective (NMC), Scout Productions

Heaven’s Gate
An intimate, four-part series that explores the infamous religious movement and the stranger-than-fiction circumstances that culminated in the biggest mass suicide to ever take place in the U.S.
Genre: Limited Documentary Series
Director: Clay Tweel
Executive Producer: Clay Tweel
Producers: Ross Dinerstein, Chris Bannon, Eric Spiegelman, Peter Clowney, and Erik Diehn for the digital media company Stitcher
Produced by: Campfire and CNN Original Series

The Hos (wt)
Led by patriarch Binh Ho and his wife, Hue Ho, the power couple immigrated from Vietnam to the United States with little money, relying on hard work to establish the ultimate American dream. They have built a multi-million dollar bank, a real estate development company and a new generation of American Hos. The series pulls back the curtain of their lavish Houston lifestyle and showcases the tight family connections that unite them as well as the multi-generational outrageous drama that ensues.
Genre: Non-fiction
Cast: Binh Ho, Hue Ho, Judy Ho, Washington Ho, Lesley Ho, Aunt Tina, Cousin Sammy
Executive Producers: Katy Wallin, Stephanie Bloch Chambers
Co-Executive Producers: Amanda Ly, Rosalina Lydster
Produced by: Wallin Chambers Entertainment in association with Lionsgate Television

Legendary
Competition has never been this ballsy. Legendary will feature voguing “houses,” each comprised of five performers and a leader – the house “parent.” The teams rotate in a round-robin format, and each episode documents a themed ball from start to finish. The winner ultimately achieves “legendary” status in fashion and dance challenges.
Genre: Non-fiction
Executive Producers: David Collins, Michael Williams, Rob Eric, Renata Lombardo, Shant Tutunjian
Produced by: Scout Productions

Let Them All Talk (wt)
The story of a celebrated author who takes a journey with some old friends to have some fun and heal old wounds. Her nephew comes along to wrangle the ladies and finds himself involved with a young literary agent.
Genre: Feature Film
Cast: Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen, Dianne Wiest, Lucas Hedges, Gemma Chan
Writer: Deborah Eisenberg
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Executive Producers: Ken Meyer, Joseph Malloch
Producer: Gregory Jacobs

Love Life
A 10-episode half-hour romantic comedy anthology series about the journey from first love to last love, and how the people we’re with along the way make us into who we are when we finally end up with someone forever. The series will follow a different protagonist’s quest for love each season, with each episode telling the story of one of their relationships.
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Anna Kendrick, Zoe Chao, Peter Vack, Sasha Compere, Scoot McNairy, Hope Davis, James LeGros
Executive Producer: Paul Feig, Anna Kendrick

Made for Love
A 10-episode, half-hour, series adaptation based on the tragicomic novel of the same name. Made for Love is a dark, absurd and cynically poignant story of divorce and revenge. The series shows how far some will go for love – and how much further others will go to destroy it.
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Cristin Milioti, Ray Romano, Noma Dumezweni
Adapted by: Patrick Somerville
Director/Executive Producer: S.J. Clarkson

Persona (wt)
A documentary feature produced by CNN Films that explores the riveting and unexpected origin story of America’s obsession with personality testing. Embedded in everything from dating sites to job applications, Persona reveals the profound ways personality testing has formed and influenced the world around us.
Genre: Documentary Film
Produced by: CNN Films

*Raised by Wolves
An epic serialized sci-fi series executive produced and directed by Ridley Scott. The series centers on two androids tasked with raising human children on a mysterious virgin planet. As the burgeoning colony of humans threatens to be torn apart by religious differences, the androids learn that controlling the beliefs of humans is a treacherous and difficult task.
Genre: Sci-fi
Writer/Showrunner: Aaron Guzikowski
Cast: Travis Fimmel, Amanda Collin, Abubakar Salim, Winta McGrath, Niamh Algar, Matias Varela, Felix Jamieson, Ethan Hazzard, Jordan Loughran, Aasiya Shah, Ivy Wong
Director: Ridley Scott
Executive Producers: Ridley Scott, Aaron Guzikowski, David W. Zucker, Jordan Sheehan, Adam Kolbrenner, Mark Huffam
Produced by: Scott Free Productions

*Rap Sh*t (wt)
From Issa Rae, Rap Sh*t (wt) is a half-hour comedy series that follows three women – a hip-hop duo and their hustler manager – trying to make it in Miami’s music industry.
Genre: Comedy
Produced by: Issa Rae and Montrel McKay for Issa Rae Productions and Jonathan Barry and Dave Becky for 3 Arts Entertainment

The Scoop (wt)
Produced by CNN Films, this documentary feature will follow the exhilarating and exhausting lives of CNN’s fearless female political reporters as they cover the most unpredictable presidential campaign in American history. This behind-the-scenes documentary draws from unprecedented access to the campaign press corps and reveals how these powerhouse political reporters deal with the candidates as well as with the challenges of life on the road.
Genre: Documentary Film
Produced by: CNN Films

Search Party
Two more seasons of the critically-beloved comedy Search Party comes to HBO Max. Season three finds the gang swept up in the trial of the century after Dory and Drew are charged for the semi-accidental murder of a private investigator. As Elliott and Portia grapple with whether or not to testify as witnesses, the friends are pitted against each other and thrust into the national spotlight as notorious public figures. As Dory’s sanity begins to fracture, it becomes increasingly clear that they may not have brunch together for quite some time.
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Alia Shawkat, Meredith Hagner, John Early and John Reynolds
Executive Producers: Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers, Michael Showalter, Jax Media’s Lilly Burns, Tony Hernandez

*Stand-up Specials Presented by Conan O’Brien
Five new comedy specials that include two hosted by Conan O’Brien showcasing short sets from multiple up-and-coming comics, as well as curated one-hour-long sets from three additional comedians.
Genre: Comedy
Executive Producers: Conan O’Brien, Jeff Ross, JP Buck, Adam Sachs
Produced by: Team Coco

Starstruck
Starstruck follows 20-something Rose, a millennial in London, juggling two dead-end jobs and navigating the awkward morning-after when she discovers the complications of accidentally sleeping with a movie star.
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Rose Matafeo
Executive Producers: Rose Matafeo, Jon Thoday, Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett

Station Eleven
A limited series based on Emily St. John Mandel’s international bestseller, Station Eleven is a post-apocalyptic saga that follows survivors of a devastating flu as they attempt to rebuild and reimagine the world anew while holding on to the best of what’s been lost.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Himesh Patel, Mackenzie Davis
Adapted by: Patrick Somerville
Director: Hiro Murai

Superintelligence
Superintelligence tells the story of Carol Peters, to whom nothing extraordinary ever happens. But when she starts getting snarky backtalk from her TV, phone and microwave, she thinks she’s being punked. The world’s first superintelligence has selected her for observation, taking over her life…with a more ominous plan to take over everything. Now Carol is humanity’s last chance before this artificial intelligence-with-an-attitude decides to pull the plug.
Genre: Feature Film
Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Bobby Cannavale, Brian Tyree Henry, Jean Smart, James Corden
Director: Ben Falcone
Producers: Melissa McCarthy, Ben Falcone, Rob Cowan
Produced by: New Line Cinema

Tokyo Vice
Based on Jake Adelstein’s non-fiction first-hand account of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police beat starring Ansel Elgort. The drama captures Adelstein’s daily descent into the neon-soaked underbelly of Tokyo, where nothing and no one is truly what or who they seem.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Ansel Elgort, Ken Watanabe
Writer: J.T. Rogers
Pilot Director: Michael Mann
Executive Producers: Michael Mann, J.T. Rogers, John Lesher, Alan Poul, Emily Gerson Saines, Ansel Elgort, Ken Watanabe, Destin Daniel Cretton
Produced by: Endeavor Content

HBO ORIGINALS

Previously announced series coming to HBO:

Avenue 5
Avenue 5 is a space tourism comedy set 40 years in the future when the solar system is everyone’s oyster. Hugh Laurie will star as the Captain, and with him in charge, nothing can go wrong.
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rebecca Front, Suzy Nakamura, Ethan Phillips, Lenora Crichlow
Creator: Veep creator Armando Iannucci (also directs the pilot)
Executive Producers: Armando Iannucci, Kevin Loader, Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche, Will Smith

Bad Education
Long Island school superintendent Frank Tassone and his assistant superintendent for business, Pam Gluckin, are credited with bringing Roslyn School District unprecedented prestige, pleasing the board and raising property values in the town. Frank, always immaculately groomed and tailored, is a master of positive messaging, whether before an audience of community leaders or in an office with a concerned student or parent. Frank can do no wrong, until the Roslyn High School newspaper decides to dig deep into some expense reports uncovering an embezzlement scheme of epic proportions, revealing secrets about Frank and forcing the community to question their values and ambitions. Inspired by a true story, Bad Education is a potent dark comedy and commentary on the cost of the pursuit of educational excellence.
Genre: Film
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Allison Janney, Ray Romano
Director: Cory Finley
Writer: Mike Makowsky
Executive Producers: Leonid Lebedev, Caroline Jaczko
Producers: Fred Berger, Eddie Vaisman, Julia Lebedev, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Oren Moverman, Mike Makowsky
Produced by: Automatik, Sight Unseen

Betty
Inspired by the critically acclaimed film Skate Kitchen, the series, set against the backdrop of New York City, will follow a diverse group of young women navigating their lives through the predominantly male-oriented world of skateboarding.
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Rachelle Vinberg, Nina Moran, Moonbear, Dede Lovelace, Ajani Russell
Executive Producer/Writer/Director: Crystal Moselle
Executive Producer/Writer: Lesley Arfin
Executive Producer: Igor Srubshchik, Jason Weinberg
Co-Executive Producers: Michael Sherman and Matthew Perniciaro of Bow & Arrow Entertainment
Co-Executive Producer: Rodrigo Teixeira of RT Features
Producer: Izabella Tzenkova of Kotva Films
Producer: Lizzie Nastro
Produced by: Arfin Material, Untitled Entertainment

The Gilded Age
The American Gilded Age was a period of immense economic change, of huge fortunes made and lost, and the rise of disparity between old money and new. Against this backdrop of change, the story begins in 1882 – introducing young Marian Brook, the orphaned daughter of a Southern general, who moves into the home of her rigidly conventional aunts in New York City. Accompanied by the mysterious Peggy Scott, an African-American woman masquerading as her maid, Marian gets caught up in the dazzling lives of her stupendously rich neighbors, led by a ruthless railroad tycoon and his ambitious wife struggling for acceptance by the Astor and Vanderbilt set. Will Marian follow the established rules of society, or forge her own path in this exciting new world that is on the brink of transformation into the modern age?
Genre: Drama
Cast: Christine Baranski, Amanda Peet, Cynthia Nixon, Morgan Spector
Creator/Writer/Executive Producer: Julian Fellowes
Director: Michael Engler
Executive Producers: Gareth Neame, Michael Engler, David Crockett
Produced by: An HBO co-production with NBCU

His Dark Materials
Adapting Philip Pullman’s award-winning trilogy of the same name, which is considered a modern masterpiece of imaginative fiction, this series follows Lyra, a seemingly ordinary but brave young woman from another world. Her search for a kidnapped friend uncovers a sinister plot involving stolen children and becomes a quest to understand a mysterious phenomenon called Dust.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Lin-Manuel Miranda, James McAvoy, Ruth Wilson, Dafne Keen, Anne-Marie Duff, Clarke Peters, Ariyon Bakare, Will Keen, Ian Gelder, Georgina Campbell, Lewin Lloyd, Lucian Msamati, James Cosmo, Daniel Frogson, Tyler Howitt, Ruta Gedmintas, Mat Fraser, Geoff Bell, Simon Manyonda
Executive Producers: Dan McCulloch, Jane Tranter, Julie Gardner, Philip Pullman, Jack Thorne, Tom Hooper, Deborah Forte, Toby Emmerich, Carolyn Blackwood, Ben Irving, Piers Wenger
Directors: Tom Hooper, Dawn Shadforth, Otto Bathhurst, Euros Lyn, Jamie Childs

*House Of The Dragon
A Game of Thrones prequel co-created by George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal, with Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal to partner as showrunners. Based on Martin’s Fire & Blood, the series, which is set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones, tells the story of House Targaryen.
Genre: Drama
Creators: George R.R. Martin, Ryan Condal
Showrunners: Ryan Condal, Miguel Sapochnik
Director: Miguel Sapochnik (pilot and additional episodes)
Writer: Ryan Condal
Executive Producers: Ryan Condal, George R.R. Martin, Miguel Sapochnik, Vince Gerardis

How To…With John Wilson
How To…With John Wilson is a first person documentary series hosted by an anxious New Yorker who attempts to give everyday advice while dealing with his own personal issues. Acting as both cameraman and narrator, John covertly documents the lives of fellow New Yorkers in a comic odyssey of self-discovery, inevitably making the audience comfortable with the awkward contradictions of modern life.
Genre: Comedy
Cast: John Wilson
Executive Producer/Writer/Director/Narrator: John Wilson
Executive Producers: Nathan Fielder, Clark Reinking

I Know This Much Is True
A family saga that follows the parallel lives of identical twin brothers in an epic story of betrayal, sacrifice and forgiveness set against the backdrop of 20th-century America. The six episode limited drama series is based on Wally Lamb’s New York Times bestseller and award-winning book I Know This Much Is True.
Genre: Limited Series
Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Melissa Leo, Rosie O’Donnell, Archie Panjabi, Imogen Poots, Juliette Lewis, Kathryn Hahn, John Proccacino
Director/Writer/Executive Producer: Derek Cianfrance
Star/Executive Producers: Mark Ruffalo
Executive Producers: Ben Browning & Glen Basner for FilmNation Entertainment
Executive Producers: Wally Lamb, Gregg Fienberg, Anya Epstein, Lynette Howell Taylor
Co-Executive Producers: Jamie Patricof

Industry
Industry is an exhilarating dive into the world of international finance, as seen through the eyes of ambitious 20-somethings struggling to secure their futures. The series follows a group of young graduates competing for a limited set of permanent positions at a top investment bank in London – but the boundaries between colleague, friend, lover, and enemy soon blur as they immerse themselves in a company culture defined as much by sex, drugs, and ego as it is by deals and dividends. As members of the group rise and fall, they must decide whether life is about more than the bottom line.
Genre: Drama
Executive Producer/Writer: Mickey Down
Executive Producer/Writer: Konrad Kay
Executive Producers: Jane Tranter, Lachlan MacKinnon, Ryan Rasmussen
Executive Producer/Pilot Director: Lena Dunham
Produced for HBO and BBC by Bad Wolf

January 22nd
A fearless, frank and provocative drama series exploring the question of sexual consent and where, in the new landscape of dating and relationships, the distinction between liberation and exploitation lies. Set in London, where gratification is only an app away, the story centers on Arabella, a carefree, self-assured Londoner with a group of great friends, a boyfriend in Italy, and a burgeoning writing career. But when she is spiked with a date-rape drug, she must question and rebuild every element of her life.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Michaela Coel, Weruche Opia, Paapa Essiedu, Aml Ameen, Adam James, Sarah Niles, Ann Akin, Harriet Webb, Ellie James, Franc Ashman, Karan Gill, Natalie Walter, Samson Ajewole
Executive Producers: Phil Clarke & Roberto Troni for Various Artists Ltd
Executive Producer / Writer / Director / Cast: Michaela Coel for FALKNA Productions
Producers: Simon Maloney, Simon Meyers
Director: Sam Miller
Produced by: Various Artists Ltd and FALKNA Productions

Lovecraft Country
The one-hour drama series based on the 2016 novel by Matt Ruff, follows Atticus Freeman as he joins his friend Letitia and his Uncle George to embark on a road trip across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father. What follows is a struggle to survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and the terrifying monsters that could be ripped from an H.P. Lovecraft paperback.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Jonathan Majors, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Michael Kenneth Williams, Courtney B. Vance, Wunmi Mosaku, Aunjanue Ellis, Jamie Harris, Abbey Lee, Jamie Chung, Jordan Patrick Smith
Executive Producers: Jordan Peele, J.J. Abrams, Misha Green, Yann Demange, Daniel Sackheim, Ben Stephenson, Bill Carraro
Showrunner: Misha Green
Produced by: Bad Robot Productions and Monkeypaw Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television

Mare of Easttown
Kate Winslet stars in this limited series as a small-town Pennsylvania detective who investigates a local murder as her life crumbles around her.
Genre: Limited Series
Cast: Kate Winslet, Julianne Nicholson, Jean Smart, Angourie Rice, Evan Peters, Cailee Spaeny, David Denman, John Douglas Thompson, Patrick Murney, Ben Miles, James McArdle, Sosie Bacon, Joe Tippett, Neal Huff
Creator/Writer/Showrunner/Executive Producer: Brad Ingelsby
Director/Executive Producer: Gavin O’Connor
Executive Producers: Gordon Gray through Mayhem Pictures; Paul Lee through wiip; Mark Roybal through wiip; Kate Winslet
Produced by: An HBO co-production with wiip

The Nevers
The Nevers is an epic science fiction drama about a gang of Victorian women, known as “The Touched,” who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies, and a mission that could change the world.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Laura Donnelly, Nick Frost, Denis O’Hare, Olivia Williams, Ann Skelly, Zackary Momoh, Tom Riley, James Norton, Amy Manson, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ben Chaplin, Pip Torrens
Executive Producer/Showrunner/Writer/Director: Joss Whedon
Executive Producers: Bernie Caulfield, Jane Espenson, Doug Petrie

The New Pope
Created and directed by Paolo Sorrentino, this drama will mark his second limited series set in the world of the modern papacy, following The Young Pope.
Genre: Limited Series
Cast: Jude Law, John Malkovich, Silvio Orlando, Javier Cámara, Cécile de France, Ludivine Sagnier, Maurizio Lombardi, Henry Goodman, Ulrich Thomsen, Mark Ivanir, Massimo Ghini
Creator/Director: Paolo Sorrentino
Producers: Lorenzo Mieli, Mario Gianani for Wildside
Co-Producers: Haut et Court TV and Mediapro
Writers: Paolo Sorrentino with Umberto Contarello and Stefano Bises
Produced by: Sky, HBO, Canal+

The Outsider
Based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel of the same name, this dark mystery follows a seemingly straightforward investigation into the gruesome murder of a young boy. The crime, however, leads a seasoned cop and an unorthodox investigator to question everything they believe to be real, as an insidious supernatural force edges its way into the case.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo, Bill Camp, Mare Winningham, Paddy Considine, Julianne Nicholson, Yul Vázquez, Jeremy Bobb, Marc Menchaca, Hettienne Park, Michael Esper
Producer: Ben Mendelsohn
Writers: Richard Price, with episodes written by Dennis Lehane and Jessie Nickson-Lopez
Executive Producers: Jason Bateman/Director (first two episodes). Richard Price, Andrew Bernstein (who directs three episodes), Marty Bowen for Temple Hill Entertainment, Jack Bender, Michael Costigan for Aggregate Films, and Dennis Lehane (Episodes 105-110)
Produced by Bateman’s Aggregate Films and Temple Hill Entertainment in association with Civic Center Media.

Perry Mason
Set in 1932 Los Angeles, the series will focus on the origin story of famed defense lawyer Perry Mason, based on characters from Erle Stanley Gardner’s novels. Living check-to-check as a low-rent private investigator, Mason is haunted by his wartime experiences in France and suffering the effects of a broken marriage. L.A. is booming while the rest of the country struggles through the Great Depression — but a kidnapping gone very wrong leads to Mason exposing a fractured city as he uncovers the truth of the crime.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Matthew Rhys, John Lithgow, Tatiana Maslany, Chris Chalk, Juliet Rylance, Shea Whigham, Nate Corddry, Veronica Falcon, Andrew Howard, Jefferson Mays, Robert Patrick, Stephen Root Gayle Rankin, Lili Taylor
Showrunners: Ron Fitzgerald, Rolin Jones
Executive Producers: Amanda Burrell, Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, Ron Fitzgerald, Joe Horacek, Rolin Jones, Tim Van Patten (also Director of multiple episodes)
Producer: Matthew Rhys

The Plot Against America
The Plot Against America is set in an alternate American history and centers on a Jewish family in New Jersey who watch the political rise of Charles Lindbergh, an aviator hero and xenophobic populist who becomes president, defeating Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940, and turns the country toward fascism.
Genre: Limited Series
Cast: Winona Ryder, Zoe Kazan, Morgan Spector, Anthony Boyle, Azhy Robertson, Caleb Malis, John Turturro
Creators: David Simon and Ed Burns both serve as writers and executive producers on the series, as well as Joe Roth, Nina Noble, Megan Ellison, Sue Naegle, Susan Goldberg and Jeff Kirschenbaum
Co-Executive Producers: Dennis Stratton, Philip Roth

Run
Run centers on Ruby, a woman living a humdrum existence who one day gets a text inviting her to fulfill a youthful pact, promising true love and self-reinvention, by stepping out of her life to take a journey with her oldest flame.
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Merritt Wever; Guest Starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Rich Sommer
Writer: Vicky Jones
Executive Producers: Vicky Jones and Phoebe Waller-Bridge via DryWrite; Emily Leo for Wigwam; and Jenny Robbins. Kate Dennis directed the pilot and executive produces.
Produced by: Entertainment One, DryWrite, Wigwam Films.

The Third Day
The Third Day is a story told over six episodes and in two distinct halves. The first – “Summer,” directed by Marc Munden, sees Sam, a man drawn to a mysterious island off the British coast where he encounters a group of islanders set on preserving their traditions at any cost. The second – “Winter,” directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, follows Helen, a strong-willed outsider who comes to the island seeking answers, but whose arrival precipitates a fractious battle to decide its fate.
Genre: Limited Series
Cast: Jude Law, Naomie Harris, Katherine Waterston, Paddy Considine, Emily Watson
Writer/Executive Producer: Dennis Kelly (wrote four episodes)
Executive Producers: Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Plan B Entertainment
Executive Producer: Felix Barrett, Punchdrunk International
Creators: Felix Barrett, Dennis Kelly
Director/Executive Producer: Marc Munden
Director/Executive Producer: Philippa Lowthorpe
Producer: Adrian Sturges
Writers: Kit de Waal and Dean O’Loughlin (wrote two episodes)
Produced by: HBO and Sky Studios in partnership with Plan B Entertainment and Punchdrunk International

The Undoing
A limited series based on the book You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz. Grace Sachs is living the only life she ever wanted for herself. She’s a successful therapist, has a devoted husband and young son who attends an elite private school in New York City. Overnight a chasm opens in her life: a violent death, a missing husband, and, in the place of a man Grace thought she knew, only a chain of terrible revelations. Left behind in the wake of a spreading and very public disaster and horrified by the ways in which she has failed to heed her own advice, Grace must dismantle one life and create another for her child and herself.
Genre: Limited Series
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Donald Sutherland, Noah Jupe, Edgar Ramirez, Lily Rabe, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Matilda DeAngelis, Noma Dumezweni
Writer/Executive Producer/Showrunner: David E. Kelley through David E. Kelley Productions
Director/Executive Producer: Susanne Bier
Executive Producers: Nicole Kidman and Per Saari for Blossom Films; Bruna Papandrea for Made Up Stories; Stephen Garrett, Celia Costas

We Are Who We Are
A coming-of-age story about two American teenagers who, along with their military and civilian parents, are living on an American military base in Italy. The series centers on friendship, first-love and all the unknowns of being a teenager, which could happen anywhere, but in this case, happens to be in this little slice of America in Italy.
Genre: Limited Series
Cast: Chloë Sevigny, Jack Dylan Grazer, Alice Braga, Jordan Kristine Seamon
Kid Cudi, Faith Alabi, Spence Moore II, Francesca Scorsese, Ben Taylor, Corey Knight , Tom Mercier, Sebastiano Pigazzi
Showrunner/Writer/Director/Executive Producer: Luca Guadagnino
Writers: Luca Guadagnino, Paolo Giordano, Francesca Manieri
Executive Producers: Lorenzo Mieli, Mario Gianani, Luca Guadagnino, Nick Hall, Riccardo Neri
Producers: Lorenzo Mieli and Mario Gianani for Wildside (part of Fremantle)
Produced by: HBO and Sky Studios
International Distributor: Fremantle

HBO LIBRARY HIGHLIGHTS

Series
Barry
Big Little Lies
Chernobyl
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Deadwood
Entourage
Euphoria
Game of Thrones
Insecure
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
My Brilliant Friend
Oz
Real Time With Bill Maher
The Righteous Gemstones
Sex and the City
Silicon Valley
Six Feet Under
The Sopranos
Succession
True Blood
True Detective
Veep
Watchmen
Westworld
The Wire
Find all HBO Series: https://www.hbo.com/series/all-series

Movies
Available in first year of launch:
A Star Is Born
Aquaman
Bridesmaids
Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Detective Pikachu
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Glass
Isn’t It Romantic?
It Chapter 2
Joker
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Little
Love Actually
Madagascar
Notting Hill
Rio
Shazam!
Smallfoot
The Town
Us
War of the Worlds

Find all HBO Movies: https://www.hbo.com/movies

HBO MAX LIBRARY HIGHLIGHTS

In addition to a robust slate of originals, HBO Max will feature a vast selection of titles from Warner Media’s brands including library content from Warner Bros. Film and Television Studios, New Line Cinema, DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, The CW, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Looney Tunes and more, alongside key third party acquisitions.

Here is a selection that will be available in our first year of launch.

Series
Adam Ruins Everything
Adventure Time
The Alienist
American Dynasties: The Kennedys
Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
At Home with Amy Sedaris
The Bachelor
The Bachelorette
Batwoman
The Big Bang Theory
The Boondocks
The Carbonaro Effect
The Closer
CNN Decade Series (The 2000s, The Nineties, etc.)
Conan Travel Specials
Dexter’s Laboratory
Doctor Who
Doom Patrol
Ellen’s Game of Games
Falling Skies
The Flintstones
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Friends
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Gossip Girl
The Honourable Woman
Impractical Jokers
The Jetsons
Little Big Shots
Looney Tunes
Mad TV
Miracle Workers
The OC
The Office (British version)
The Powerpuff Girls
Pretty Little Liars
Pride and Prejudice
Primal
Rick & Morty
Rizzoli & Isles
Robot Chicken
Samurai Jack
Sesame Street
The Smurfs
South Park
Steven Universe
This Is Life with Lisa Ling
Top Gear / BBC
United Shades of America with Kamau Bell
The West Wing
Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Movies
13 Going on 30
2001: A Space Odyssey
Austin Powers
The Bodyguard
Casablanca
Chariots of Fire
Citizen Kane
The Color Purple
The Conjuring
Dangerous Liaisons
The Departed
The Dark Knight
DC Films – All live action movies from the past decade
The Departed
Gremlins
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Hairspray
Happy Feet
The Hobbit Trilogy
The Iron Giant
Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2
The Last Samurai
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Magic Mike
March of the Penguins
The Matrix Trilogy
Million Dollar Baby
Miss Congeniality
Mona Lisa Smile
Ocean’s Eleven
The Right Stuff
Risky Business
Scooby-Doo
The Shawshank Redemption
The Shining
Space Jam
Spirited Away and the entire Ghibli Film Collection
Watchmen
Wonder Woman
When Harry Met Sally
The Wizard of Oz

HBO Max announces launch month, subscription price, more original programs

October 29, 2019

The following is a press release from WarnerMedia:

WarnerMedia today unveiled significant new details about its HBO Max direct-to-consumer strategy on the company’s iconic Warner Bros. lot, revealing a comprehensive offering of programming options for every audience, product features and functionality, and its go-to-market plans.

“With this entire company coming together, we will have one of the most robust collections of premium streaming content that will appeal to all demographics in the household, and be able to achieve incredible scale and reach right out of the gate,” said Robert Greenblatt, chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer. “We couldn’t achieve this without AT&T’s unprecedented and enthusiastic support. When you live in a world with ‘dragons’ — it feels very good to have one of your own in the game!”

Launching in May of 2020, WarnerMedia will be making HBO Max available to customers in the U.S. for $14.99 per month. The company is targeting 50 million domestic subscribers and 75 – 90 million premium subscribers by year-end in 2025 across the U.S., Latin America and Europe. At launch, AT&T will immediately offer HBO Max to the roughly 10 million HBO subscribers on AT&T distribution platforms, at no additional charge. HBO Now direct-billed users who subscribe directly through HBONow.com will also have access to Warner Media’s HBO Max product. AT&T customers on premium video, mobile and broadband services will be offered bundles with HBO Max included at no additional charge. We are in active discussions with our distributors and look forward to offering their customers seamless access to this great product.

“We’ve positioned HBO Max in a way that makes sense for our Company, our distribution partners and our customers,” said Tony Goncalves, CEO of Otter Media. “We are creating a company-wide ‘membership-model’ that taps into AT&T’s 170 million direct-to-consumer relationships, 5,500 retail stores and 3.2 billion annual customer touchpoints to achieve scale and reach at launch.”

HBO Max will launch with 10,000 hours of curated premium content including the entire HBO service, bundled with new HBO Max Originals that expand the breadth of the offering targeted at young adults, kids and families.  HBO Max will pull from WarnerMedia’s deep library of fan favorites in its 100-year content collection, including library content from Warner Bros., New Line, DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes and more. HBO Max will also offer a robust selection of third party acquired series and movie titles that will rival any other streaming offering in the marketplace.

New Max Originals announced today include:

  • The Fungies!, from Stephen Neary and Cartoon Network Studios, is a prehistoric comedy that explores Fungietown through the whimsical quests of Seth, a young student at Fungietown Elementary.
  • Tig N’ Seek from Myke Chilian and Cartoon Network Studios is about 8-year-old Tiggy and his gadget-building cat, Gweeseek, as they search for the lost items of Wee Gee City. With Tiggy’s cheerful attitude and Gweeseek’s exceptional inventing capabilities, the duo humorously navigate day-to-day dilemmas at the Department of Lost and Found.
  • Tooned Out, executive produced by Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump; Cast Away; Back to the Future), is a half-hour, hybrid live-action and animated comedyThings get a little cartoony for Mac when he starts seeing iconic cartoon characters in his life, but they’re not just there for laughs, they’re helping him get through a very rough patch in his life.
  • Looney Tunes Cartoons, an all-new series of 80 eleven-minute episodes and holiday-themed specials from Warner Bros. Animation starring the cherished classic Looney Tunes characters for today’s kids. Iconic characters will include Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Tweety, Sylvester, Granny, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, Marvin the Martian, Tasmanian Devil, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote and many more.
  • Jellystonea new animated children’s comedy series from Warner Bros. Animation that will welcome viewers to the town of Jellystone, where their favorite Hanna-Barbera characters live, work, play, and stir up trouble together.
  • DC Super Hero High is a half-hour comedy series executive produced by Elizabeth Banks (Charlie’s Angels, Pitch Perfect, Shrill), which follows a group of students experiencing the fun and drama of adolescence at a boarding school for gifted kids. These teens are just trying to navigate the pressures of high school, but none of them realize that someday they will become legendary DC Super Heroes.
  • Rap Sh*t (working title) from Issa Rae (Insecure; A Black Lady Sketch Show) is a half-hour comedy series that follows a female rap group from outside of Miami trying to make it in the music industry.
  • College Girls (working title), the latest series from Mindy Kaling (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Late Night, The Mindy Project, The Office), is a 13-episode half-hour, single-camera comedy following three 18-year-old freshman roommates at Evermore College in Vermont who are equal parts lovable and infuriating.
  • Strange Adventuresa DC Super Hero anthology series executive produced by Greg Berlanti (Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Titans, Doom Patrol), will feature characters from across the DC canon. This one-hour drama series will explore close-ended morality tales about the intersecting lives of mortals and superhumans.
  • Green Lantern inspired series from Berlanti Productions that will finally introduce characters from this iconic comic in Berlanti’s biggest series yet.
  • A Series of Stand Up Specials presented by Conan O’Brien will feature five new comedy specials. O’Brien will host two specials, featuring short sets from multiple up-and-coming comics while also curating one-hour sets from three comedians. In addition HBO Max has purchased the rights to a one-hour special from comedian James Veitch.
  • Raised by Wolvesan epic serialized sci-fi series executive produced and directed by Ridley Scott (The MartianBlade RunnerAlien: Covenant) centering on two androids tasked with raising human children on a mysterious virgin planet.
  • Bobbie Sue is a feature-length film starring Golden Globe® winner Gina Rodriquez (Jane the Virgin) following the story of a headstrong young lawyer who lands a career-making case with an upper crust law firm, only to realize she’s been hired for optics and not her expertise.

New HBO original announced today:

  • House of the Dragon, a 10-episode, straight-to-series order “Game of Thrones” prequel. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, the series, which is set 300 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” tells the story of House Targaryen. Co-created by George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal. Emmy award winning director Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal will partner as showrunners and will also serve as executive producers along with George R.R. Martin and Vince Gerardis. Sapochnik will direct the pilot and additional episodes of the series, which will be written by Condal.

Newly Acquired and Library Titles:

  • In addition to the new original titles mentioned above, HBO Max also announced today a number of classic and library titles that will be coming to the streamer in its first year of launch, including: South Park, Rick & Morty, The O.C., Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Robot Chicken, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, The Bachelor, Impractical Jokers, The Closer, Rizzolli and Isles, Major Crimes, The Alienist, The West Wing, United Shades of America with Kamau Bell, This is Life with Lisa Ling, and Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.
  • In addition, a collection of classics from the libraries of Looney TunesMerrie Melodies and Hannah Barbara will be available at launch.

“We are attracting top talent to bring in a wide variety of original ideas, curating the rich library assets of this company, and acquiring the most compelling third-party programming available,” said Kevin Reilly, chief content officer, HBO Max, president, TNT, TBS and truTV.

DEPTH AND BREADTH OF PROGRAMMING

HBO Max, anchored by HBO and its iconic shows, movies, documentaries and specials, will build on HBO’s legacy and offer something for every demographic – from dramas, comedies, sci-fi, and anime to children’s, unscripted, films, documentaries, comedy specials, late-night shows, blockbuster movies and library content – ensuring that everyone in the household has thousands of hours of entertainment at their fingertips.

In addition to series, specials and docs, HBO Max will have 1,800 film titles at launch that will cover every genre, taste and fan interest, including HBO’s vast collection/library of new theatrical hits and beloved classics. Global blockbuster franchises from Warner Bros. including The MatrixThe Lord of the RingsThe HobbitGremlins and the Lego movies will be available in the first year, along with every DC film from the last decade including Aquaman and Joker, and every Batman and Superman movie from the last 40 years.

“We work with an unmatched roster of innovative artists and we couldn’t be happier to be bringing them to HBO Max next year and well into the future,” said Ann Sarnoff, chair and CEO of Warner Bros. “HBO Max will have the pick of the litter here at Warner Bros.”

For a complete list of titles coming to HBO Max please visit here.

FEATURES AND FUNCTIONALITY

Throughout the year after its initial launch, HBO Max will roll out a variety of new features and functionality not found on any other streaming platforms today, including:

  • Recommended By Humans – HBO Max will combine Human Powered Discovery and analytics in novel ways to make it much easier for viewers to quickly find the content they are passionate about.  Here, talent and influencers will make recommendations to our users about content they love, in the form of short, authentic videos to talk about how they’ve fallen in love with it and why.
  • Co-Viewing – Research shows that many viewers are aware of how viewing with others can throw off their recommendations. HBO Max is solving this co-viewing challenge by allowing viewers to create shared homepages that are completely separate from their personal homepages, but tailored to the group’s likes and needs. They can create shared watch lists and view with members of their household without impacting their personal profiles.

HBO Max will also offer standard direct-to-consumer features, such as:

  • Content Hubs – Content hubs feature clusters of content from recognizable brands that attract passionate audiences.
  • Personalized Profiles & Homepages
  • Kids’ profiles and Parental PIN usage
  • Downloads for offline viewing

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

HBO Max’s leading quality and breadth of content will be fueled by AT&T’s continued investments and resources to ensure the offering is attractive to every household.

Within the first year of launch WarnerMedia plans to expand the service to include an AVOD option, offering consumers access to even more content, with more flexibility to manage the overall price value options on the platform.

The company also announced plans in the future to provide subscribers with unique live, interactive and special event programming as it continues to build out and differentiate HBO Max.

AT&T intends to expand HBO Max beyond the U.S., initially prioritizing Latin America and Europe where the company currently has ownership interest in or operates premium HBO networks, and has over-the-top services.

AT&T intends to invest significantly in HBO Max, with an incremental investment of $1.5 to $2 billion in the partial year of 2020 and continued investment in following years.  That investment includes spending for new content, foregone licensing revenue of our content, operating expense for the technology platform, and marketing.

“To build, launch and grow the best streaming platform available requires a major investment and total support,” said John Stankey, AT&T Chief Operating Officer and CEO of WarnerMedia. “We’re making that commitment and putting the strength of our entire company behind this.”

The replay of today’s webcast will be available at WarnerMediaday.com. More information is available at HBOMax.com.

WarnerMedia announces HBO Max streaming service, set to debut in 2020

July 9, 2019

The following is a press release from WarnerMedia:

WarnerMedia today unveiled HBO Max as the name of its new streaming service, which will offer an impressive direct-to-consumer experience for everyone ranging from families with young children to adults of all ages. Anchored with and inspired by the legacy of HBO’s excellence and award-winning storytelling, the new service will be “Maximized” with an extensive collection of exclusive original programming (Max Originals) and the best-of-the-best from WarnerMedia’s enormous portfolio of beloved brands and libraries.

New deals with Warner Bros. Television and others for HBO Max announced today include:

· The exclusive streaming rights at launch to all 236 episodes of “Friends” – one of the biggest hits on television and in streaming

· The exclusive streaming rights at launch to all episodes of fan favorites “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and “Pretty Little Liars”

· The exclusive streaming home to a string of new Warner Bros.’ produced dramas for The CW beginning with the fall 2019 season, including the highly-anticipated new DC Entertainment series “Batwoman,” and “Katy Keene” (spinoff of “Riverdale”)

· New exclusive movie production deals with Greg Berlanti, one of Hollywood’s most prolific and successful producers, and Reese Witherspoon, Academy Award(R) and Emmy Award(R)-winning actress and producer; Berlanti will produce an initial four movies focused in the young adult space, while Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine will produce at least two films

HBO Max, scheduled to launch commercially in spring of 2020, is anticipated to premiere with 10,000 hours of premium content.

“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.”

Max Original series previously announced include:

“Tokyo Vice” star Ansel Elgort (Photo courtesy of TBS)

· “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

Highlights of HBO programming previously announced for 2020 and 2021 include:

“The Outsider” star Ben Mendelsohn (Photo courtesy of Focus Features)

· Stephen King’s “The Outsider,” a dark mystery starring Ben Mendelsohn, produced and directed by Jason Bateman

· “Lovecraft Country,” a unique horror series based on a novel by Matt Ruff, written and executive produced by Misha Green, and executive produced by Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams

· “The Nevers,” Joss Whedon’s new science fiction series starring Laura Donnelly

· “The Gilded Age,” the opulent world of 1885 New York from “Downton Abbey’s” Julian Fellowes

· “Avenue 5,” high satire aboard a space-bound cruise ship from Armando Iannucci (“Veep”), starring Hugh Laurie and Josh Gad

· “The Undoing,” a psychological thriller from David E. Kelley, directed by Susanne Bier starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant

· “The Plot Against America,” reimagined history based on Phillip Roth’s novel written and executive produced by David Simon and Ed Burns, starring Winona Ryder and John Turturro

· “Perry Mason,” the classic legal drama for a new generation, executive produced by Robert Downey, Jr. and Susan Downey, with Matthew Rhys in the title role

· “I Know This Much Is True,” a complex family drama starring Mark Ruffalo playing twin brothers, one of whom has schizophrenia, based on the best-selling novel by Wally Lamb, written and directed by Derek Cianfrance.

Casey Bloys, programming president of HBO, continues to oversee content on the HBO service, with investment in HBO original programming having been increased 50% over normal spending.

Kevin Reilly, president of the Warner Media Entertainment Networks that include TNT, TBS, and truTV, also serves as chief content officer of HBO Max overseeing all new Max Originals and library content.

Tony Goncalves, CEO of Otter Media, now oversees the development of HBO Max with Andy Forssell, also from Otter Media and formerly CEO of Hulu, as the general manager.

Some of Hollywood’s most successful creators and producers are looking forward to the new service, including the following who are either producing for HBO and/or an upcoming HBO Max Original:

Anna Kendrick

Anna Kendrick (Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)

“WarnerMedia has three things going for it with this new streaming service. One, they have an incredible history and legacy of storytelling. Two, they’re super future-focused and trying to be the best. And three, they’re letting people like me embarrass myself episode after episode until I find love. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this family.”

Issa Rae

Issa Rae (Photo by Mike Smith/NBC)

“What’s exciting about HBO Max is that we have so many more resources and so many more voices of support for our show, and it’s an opportunity for other creators to have a bigger platform. I’m thrilled that my show will still be on HBO but now it will also be part of a new service that will reach more and more people.”

Greg Berlanti

Greg Berlanti (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros./Everett Collection)

“What I’ve always loved about creating shows that connect with a young audience is that these fans grow up with the programs and will remember them for the rest of their lives. Now I get to do even more of that for HBO Max, where viewers will be able to discover shows on their own time, in their own way. Like any great novel, these shows will be there waiting for you. As a fan, what I’m personally most excited to watch on the service are all the great Warner Bros. movies that affected our entire culture and changed the way we live.”

Damon Lindelof

Damon Lindelof (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

“Working with HBO has been an entirely different level. People really care about these shows and they invest at such a high level. And now with HBO Max in the family, what I’m feeling is a greater sense of understanding and belonging that the family went from being a nuclear family to now there’s a couple more kids and there’s aunts and uncles and there’s cousins and they’re all cool. I want to go to that family reunion!”

Lena Dunham

Lena Dunham (Photo by Charles Sykes/Bravo)

“To be able to work for a company that’s allowed me to grow as an artist, as a woman, as a creator is a real gift. I love being part of this specific group of HBO programs that have meant so much to me. And lots of people are obsessed with the concept of streaming and now HBO Max is the future of the medium because it’s all just about continuing to tell really smart stories, and to me, that’s evergreen. I’m working on more projects for HBO as well as something very exciting for HBO Max and I’m just in heaven.”

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

“It’s the dream of every artist to create art that inspires and even changes people. I’ve had a glorious experience doing ‘Big Little Lies’ on HBO and I’m so happy to also be developing a brand-new original drama series for HBO Max. This bigger platform will enable even more people to see the work that I and so many of my friends have poured our hearts into creating.”

George R.R. Martin

George R.R. Martin (Photo courtesy of TBS)
“Back in 1991, after a decade in television, I began writing a series of novels that I knew would never be filmed. ‘A Game of Thrones’ and its sequels were too big, too complex, too dark, too sexy, with a cast of thousands, gigantic battles, massive castles, direwolves, ice wights, and dragons. Too sprawling for a feature film, too expensive for television. I should have remembered, ‘It’s not television, it’s HBO.’ Working with HBO during the past decade has been a dream come true. What they did could not be done, but they did it anyway. And now they are embarked on a new venture. No, they won’t be tying their shows to the legs of ravens as I suggested… instead they are launching an exciting new streaming platform that will carry all the great HBO programming around the world… classic old shows and thrilling new shows, including (I hope) a return to my world of Westeros. Sign me up!”

Kaley Cuoco

Kaley Cuoco (Photo by Gage Skidmore)

“I have been part of the Warner Bros. Television family for over 12 years. I treasure my time on ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ and I am thrilled that our relationship continues to flourish in my new role as a producer on ‘The Flight Attendant.’ When I read the book more than a year-and-a-half ago, I was instantly obsessed with it – and with the idea of bringing it to the screen. I could not be happier to collaborate with the team at HBO Max to make this dream a reality. WarnerMedia has a long history of supporting storytellers and empowering them to fulfill their greatest potential. I am proud to be working with them on this series and cannot wait for viewers to have the opportunity to see it.”

“Friends” was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman and aired for 10 seasons on NBC from 1994 to 2004. The show revolved around six friends and made stars out of its ensemble — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television.

“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” was created by Andy Borowitz and Susan Borowitz, and ran for six seasons on NBC from 1990 to 1996. The show revolved around Will Smith as a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his wealthy aunt and uncle in their Bel-Air mansion after getting into a fight in his hometown. The show made Smith a star. Also starring in the comedy were James Avery, Daphne Maxwell Reid, Janet Hubert-Whitten, Alfonso Ribeiro, Karyn Parsons, Tatyana M. Ali and Joseph Marcell. It was produced by The Stuffed Dog Company, Quincy Jones Productions-Quincy Jones/David Salzman Entertainment and NBC Productions.

“Pretty Little Liars” was developed by I. Marlene King, based upon a series of books by Sara Shepard, and aired for seven seasons on ABC Family/Freeform from 2010 to 2017. The series follows the lives of five high school girls whose clique falls apart after the leader of the group, Alison, goes missing. The series features an ensemble cast, including Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, Shay Mitchell, Sasha Pieterse and Janel Parrish. It was produced by Alloy Entertainment, Long Lake Productions and Russian Hill Productions in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television.

About WarnerMedia

Warner Media is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Now, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. Warner Media is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).

September 12, 2019 UPDATE:

Making its first move into the key unscripted space, HBO Max, the upcoming direct-to-consumer offering from WarnerMedia set to launch in the spring of 2020, has ordered two original unscripted series, Legendary and The Greatest Space (working title) straight to series.

Legendary will be serving up 10 episodes of all body and face, with no shade. In this show, divas will battle on voguing teams called “houses,” with the chance to win a cash prize in ballsy fashion and dance challenges to ultimately achieve “Legendary” status. Voguing is a competitive style of modern dance featuring over-the-top fashion and choreography based on poses struck by models on a catwalk. Legendary will feature 10 voguing “houses,” each comprised of five performers and a leader – the house “parent.” The teams rotate in a round-robin format, and each episode documents a themed ball from start to finish. They Walk. They Serve. They Live to Slay.

The Greatest Space (wt), a 10-episode epic design competition show, will feature interior designers traveling around the world to transform an eclectic mix of empty rooms into spectacular spaces. In each one-hour episode, pairs of professional designers will head out on a country-hopping adventure, traveling to a new city in search of their canvas. Along the way, challenges will force them to lift directly from some of the most glamorous, audacious and ambitious rooms all around the world. From ballrooms to bedrooms to treehouses and everything in between, competitors battle to win the judges’ favor. High stakes, surprises, language barriers and exotic locales await these designers, along with unpredictable eliminations. But, if they can hold on, the dwindling designers will gain access to larger, more surprising and more imaginative spaces, in pursuit of a substantial cash prize.

Legendary is executive produced by Scout Productions’ Emmy® Award-winning team David Collins, Michael Williams and Rob Eric (Queer Eye) along with Renata Lombardo and Shant Tutunjian.

The Greatest Space (wt) is produced by New Media Collective (NMC) and Scout Productions with NMC’s Emmy® Award-winning Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri along with Mark Dziak (The Amazing Race), and Scouts’ David Collins, Michael Williams and Rob Eric serving as executive producers.

September 13, 2019 UPDATE:

Danai Gurira and Lupita Nyong’o (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Disney)

HBO Max, a division of WarnerMedia Entertainment, today announced a straight-to-series order for “Americanah.” Based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s best-selling novel of the same name, “Americanah” is an epic story of a woman born in Nigeria who leaves for America and her extraordinary experiences with love, heartache, adversity and self-discovery. The 10-episode limited series will star Academy Award® winner Lupita Nyong’o (“12 Years a Slave”; “Black Panther”), with the pilot being written by showrunner Danai Gurira (“Black Panther”; “Avengers: Endgame”), who was nominated for a Tony Award® for writing the Broadway show “Eclipsed.”

“Through ‘Americanah,’ Chimamanda brought the African female voice into mainstream consciousness in an unprecedented way. It is intellectually incisive, indicting, yet full of humor, and riddled with humanity. She makes unheard voices familiar, universal and yet palpably specific,” said Gurira. “I am honored to bring her incredible novel to life on the screen. I’m thrilled to collaborate once again with Lupita who brings her astounding ability as a performer and producer shepherding this project, along with HBO MAX’s unbridled enthusiasm to bring this groundbreaking narrative to the TV audience.”

“Americanah has been a passion project for me since I read Chimamanda’s beautiful novel in 2013. It’s a tale that is simultaneously timely and timeless,” said Nyong’o. “HBO Max is the perfect partner to bring this profound and celebrated story to life, and I’m thrilled that Danai will bring to the project her intelligence, wit, and understanding of the stories and the worlds of Americanah.”

Americanah tells the story of Ifemelu (Nyong’o), a young, beautiful, self-assured woman raised in Nigeria, who as a teenager falls in love with her classmate Obinze. Living in a military-ruled country, they each depart for the west, with Ifemelu heading for America, where, despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple for the first time with what it means to be black. Quiet, thoughtful Obinze had hoped to join her, but with post-9/11 America closed to him, he instead plunges into a dangerous undocumented life in London. A highly lauded tale that has become a leader in the cultural conversation, “Americanah” is an incredible exploration of the human experience that crosses three continents to give an empathetic, compelling view of the complex realities of race, politics, immigration and identity.

The series will be executive produced by Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o for Eba Productions, Plan B Entertainment, Andrea Calderwood (“Generation Kill”) for Potboiler Television, Didi Rea and Danielle Del for D2 Productions, and Nancy Won (“Jessica Jones”).

September 15, 2019 UPDATE:

“The Big Bang Theory” (Photo courtesy of CBS)

HBO Max, the upcoming streaming platform from WarnerMedia set to launch in the spring of 2020, has secured the first-ever U.S. streaming rights to all 12 seasons of the massive comedy hit “The Big Bang Theory.” All 279 episodes will be available on HBO Max when it launches in spring of 2020. In addition, TBS has extended its agreement to continue airing the show through 2028.

September 19, 2019 UPDATE:

Building upon its expanding original film roster, HBO Max has confirmed production of “UNpregnant,” adapted from the young adult HarperCollins novel authors Jenni Hendriks (“How I Met Your Mother”) and Ted Caplan (music editor for “The Hate U Give,” “The Greatest Showman”). From PICTURESTART and Berlanti Productions, the film offers a mix of humor and grounded human emotion as it tackles complicated friendships and the difficult road to adulthood, all while in a stolen El Camino. Starting production in New Mexico this fall, Emmy® winner Rachel Lee Goldenberg (“Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis,” “The Mindy Project”) has signed on to direct.

“Unpregnant” tells the story of seventeen-year-old Veronica (Haley Lu Richardson), who never thought she’d want to fail a test—that is, until she finds herself staring at a piece of plastic with two solid pink lines. With a promising college-bound future now disappearing before her eyes, Veronica considers a decision she never imagined she’d have to make. This tough and never-taken-lightly decision leads her on a 900+ mile road trip to New Mexico over three days with her ex-best friend Bailey (Barbie Ferreira), where they discover that one of the most important factors in your life is who your friends are.

“When the opportunity to produce a film based on ‘UNpregnant’ arose in partnership with the incomparable Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Erik Feig, I knew HBO Max was the right place for this story,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max. “We want to create authentic, relevant films that are told with grace and humor to serve our young adult audience, and this is exactly that.”

Berlanti Productions, led by Greg Berlanti (“Love, Simon,” “Arrow,” “Riverdale,” “The Flash”), Sarah Schechter (“Supergirl,” “Riverdale”) and Michael McGrath will executive produce alongside PICTURESTART’s Erik Feig (“The Twilight Saga,” “The Hunger Games” franchise, “La La Land”), Lucy Kitada (“The Babysitters Club”) and Jessica Switch (“Nerve”). This is the inaugural film within Berlanti’s overall HBO Max film deal.

About Haley Lu Richardson
Haley Lu Richardson can next be seen in Kogonada’s “After Yang” opposite Colin Farrell. She recently starred in “Five Feet Apart” opposite Cole Sprouse for CBS Films. She starred in Kogonada’s highly-acclaimed “Columbus,” which premiered at Sundance in 2017 to rave reviews. Haley was nominated for Best Actress at the Gotham Independent Film Awards, and the film also received Independent Spirit Awards nominations for Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay and Best Cinematography.

She was most recently seen in writer-director Chris Weitz’s “Operation Finale,” in which she stars with Oscar Isaac and Ben Kingsley. Haley also stars as legendary silent screen star Louise Brooks in “The Chaperone” for Julian Fellowes, which premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival. Her film “Support the Girls,” directed by Andrew Bujalski, premiered at the SXSW Film Festival and recently received nominations for Gotham and Independent Spirit Awards.

Haley is repped by 3 Arts Entertainment, Gersh, and Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern.

About Barbie Ferreira
Barbie Ferreira is best known for her role as Kat on the HBO hit show “Euphoria.” The show marked her return to HBO having previously appeared on Sarah Jessica Parker’s, “Divorce.” Time Magazine named Ferreira one of the Most Influential Teens globally for her influence in giving a platform to women on topics like self-empowerment, representation, and body diversity in fashion. Ferreira also starred in her own Vice series exploring facets of social etiquette entitled “How to Behave,” for which she won a Webby Award as Best Web Personality/Host.

She is repped by Aperture Talent Agency, Authentic Talent and Literary Management, and Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson.

September 27, 2019 UPDATE:

Ellen DeGeneres (Photo by Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.)

HBO Max, the upcoming direct-to-consumer offering from WarnerMedia set to launch in the spring of 2020, has teamed up with Emmy® Award Winner Ellen DeGeneres, ordering three original shows straight to series: “Ellen’s Home Design Challenge,” “First Dates Hotel,” and “Little Ellen,” as well as docu-series “Finding Einstein” in development. DeGeneres announced the pickups today on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and didn’t stop there. She also surprised her audience with a two-year HBO Max subscription in celebration of the news.

“Ellen is a singular talent, and a powerhouse, creative triple-threat that we are lucky to have now bringing her talents to bear on behalf of HBO Max,” said Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer, HBO Max and president, TNT, TBS, and truTV. “Ellen’s flair for home design and matchmaking will most certainly inspire and delight – but HBO Max is full service, so as not to leave the kids out she’s bringing them back to the hilarious misadventures of her childhood in an imaginative animated series.”

Ellen DeGeneres added, “I’m very excited to bring my new shows to HBO Max. I don’t know who Max is, but I can’t wait to work with him.”

In “Ellen’s Home Design Challenge,” design aficionado DeGeneres is giving eight forward-thinking designers the chance to push their creativity to the limit. DeGeneres will be on hand to weigh in on each challenge and provide humorous, colorful commentary. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted & Alternative Television and A. Smith & Co. Productions in association with Telepictures and A Very Good Production, with DeGeneres, Jeff Kleeman and Arthur Smith serving as executive producers.

“Little Ellen” is a 2D animated children’s show that explores the world through the eyes of a hilarious and unpredictable seven-year-old Ellen DeGeneres. On her adventures in her musical hometown of New Orleans, Little Ellen takes big risks and makes big mistakes, but she’s always able to laugh at herself and bounce back when things don’t go as planned. The 40-episode quarter-hour series is produced by Warner Bros. Animation and Ellen Digital Ventures. DeGeneres, Kevin A. Leman II, and Sam Register serve as executive producers. Jennifer Skelly is a co-executive producer and Jason Blackman is a producer.

“First Dates Hotel” takes matchmaking to new heights. Based on the hit UK format devised by Twenty Twenty Productions, Ltd., this charming dating series set at an affluent boutique hotel will find single people from multiple generations gathering for an intensive and tailor-made romantic experience. After fun, amusing and potentially disastrous dates at the hotel restaurant, poolside and under the stars, if the potential lovers like each other, they can choose to stay on for a second date in the hopes of finding out if they’re ultimately a match. Produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted & Alternative Television in association with Shed Media, A Very Good Production and Twenty Twenty Productions Limited, DeGeneres, Jeff Kleeman, Pam Healey, and Dan Peirson will serve as executive producers on the project. Previous seasons of the UK series “First Dates” and “First Dates Hotel” will also be available on HBO Max.

Currently in development, “Finding Einstein” is an inspiring docu-series, blessed by the Einstein estate, that will seek out, celebrate and support a fresh generation of Einsteins. Some may be a stone’s throw away …others may be in a tiny village halfway around the world…all of them are motivated to live up to Einstein’s ideal of changing the world for the better. The series is executive produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted & Alternative Television in association with Telepictures and A Very Good Production, with DeGeneres, Kleeman and Todd Goldman serving as executive producers.

October 9, 2019 UPDATE:

HBO Max continues to expand its storehouse of exceptional content by ordering 8 episodes each of two unscripted kids competition series, Karma and Craftopia. Karma, an hour-long series, will be hosted by Michelle Khare, an extreme lifestyle enthusiast with almost 2 million followers on YouTube, and Craftopia, a half-hour series, will be hosted by Lauren Riihimaki, aka LaurDIY, one of YouTube’s top creators with over 21 million followers across all her social platforms. Both social media gurus are known for inspiring their followers to think creatively and follow their dreams.

“We are giving kids an opportunity to show us their absolute best as they strive for excellence in both challenging and creative situations,” said Jennifer O’Connell, executive vice president, original content, HBO Max. “With Michelle and Lauren at the helms, we are aiming to surprise and delight our young viewers. These shows are incredible additions to our growing list of HBO Max kids originals.”

Karma, currently in production, takes 16 contestants, ranging in age from 12 to 15, completely off the grid to solve puzzles and overcome physical challenges, with the laws of karma setting the rules. This adventure competition series hosted by YouTube sensation Michelle Khare, will test the mental and physical stamina of its young contestants as they unravel how their social actions impact their success in the game. Focus, giving, humility, growth, connection, change and patience are the path to becoming the “Karma Champion.” But more importantly, the players learn one of life’s most profound lessons: “What you give out, you get back.”

Karma is executive produced by JD Roth, Adam Greener and Sara Hansemenn for GoodStory Entertainment with Fred Pichel serving as showrunner and executive producer.

“After over 30 years of making kids television, this partnership with HBO Max has given me the ability to make a show about something important — Karma,” said Roth. “Teaching kids that the energy you put in is the energy you can expect to get back has been transformative. This show is a rare opportunity to entertain while teaching and I’m loving every minute of it!”

Craftopia is an epic kids crafting competition show hosted and executive produced by Lauren Riihimaki,  who was deemed the “millennial Martha Stewart” by Forbes. On Craftopia, 9-to-15-year old contestants put their imaginations to the test and make their crafting dreams come true in a magical studio. After racing to fill up their carts with inspiring materials from the studio “store,” crafters meet larger-than-life challenges, making the most amazing creations the world has ever seen. Production will begin later this year.

Craftopia is executive produced by Rhett Bachner and Brien Meagher for B17 Entertainment.

“Kids are so incredibly inventive. They look at an empty cardboard box and a paper towel roll and see a pirate ship with a telescope.” said Bachner and Meagher. “So with Craftopia, we are thrilled to work with HBO Max to see what happens when we give ingenious kids a store full of every material imaginable.”

October 15, 2019 UPDATE:

“Grease: Rydell High” (Image courtesy of HBO Max)

HBO Max has ordered Grease: Rydell High, a musical series inspired by the 1978 Golden Globe® nominated film Grease. A joyous musical series set in and around the world of Rydell High, the show reimagines the global smash hit movie with some characters you already know, and a whole lot more you will soon meet.  It’s still the 1950s, a world that rocks with big musical numbers from the period combined with new original songs as well. It’s the peer pressures of high school, the horrors of puberty, and the rollercoaster of life in middle America with a modern sensibility that will bring it to life for today’s musical lovers.

“Grease is an iconic pop-culture phenomenon that works for every generation, and I’m thrilled that our friends at Paramount were excited about the idea of opening up the show and putting it on a larger canvas for a weekly series,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max. “This is high school and life in small-town USA told on the scale of a big rock’n’roll musical. It’s Grease 2.0 but with the same spirit, energy, and excitement you immediately think of when you hear any of these iconic songs. You’re the One That I Want!

Said Nicole Clemens, President of Paramount Television, “Grease is one of the most beloved Paramount titles and it’s a thrill to be re-imagining it for today’s audience with our good friends at Temple Hill and Picturestart. When Bob Greenblatt called about bringing it to television, we knew we would be in the perfect hands because of our great working relationship with HBO Max and Bob’s genuine passion for musicals and Grease in particular.”

Picturestart and Temple Hill will serve as executive producers and Paramount Television and Picturestart will produce the series. Additionally, Temple Hill, Picturestart and Paramount Pictures are in development on a feature film prequel to Grease, entitled Summer Lovin’. 

October 16, 2019 UPDATE:

HBO Max pays tribute to the epic origin stories of the LGBTQ+ movement with EQUAL, a masterful four-part docu-series that captures the gripping and true backstories of the leaders and unsung heroes, pre-Stonewall, who changed the course of American history through their tireless activism. These warriors gave voice, often in a life or death battle, to millions of people yearning for equality and the desire to be themselves.

Each hour-long episode in the series plays like a thriller, bringing to life the high stakes and hard deadlines of historical events that have not yet been given their due. EQUAL honors the rebels of yesteryear through high-end re-enactments, never-before-seen footage, and captures the emotions of the times with messages just as relevant today.

Over the course of the series, viewers will meet a wide range of LGBTQ+ pioneers, including: Harry Hay, a gay rights activist and the founder of the modern gay movement; The Daughters of Bilitis, a lesbian civil and political rights organization; Christine Jorgensen, transgender woman who flew to Europe in 1951 to undergo sex reassignment surgery and publicly transitioned; and gay rights and African American rights leader Bayard Rustin. Part four chronicles The Stonewall Riots from start to finish as well as the first Pride, the year after Stonewall.

“In June, we commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which shepherded in a new era for LGBTQ+ pride. While we know the story behind that fateful summer night, there’s a lot of fascinating, untold history of the patriots, artists, and thinkers who paved the way,” said Jennifer O’Connell, Executive Vice President of Original Non-fiction and Kids Programming, HBO Max. “It’s time to share their heroic tales, and we could not have more perfect partners in Jim Parsons, Greg Berlanti, Jon Jashni and Scout to introduce our HBO Max audience to these historical trailblazers.”

“We are extremely proud to partner with these groundbreaking producers on a subject this important, at a time this critical,” said Mike Darnell, President, Unscripted & Alternative Television at Warner Bros. “What a perfect project to launch Warner Horizon Unscripted Television’s new documentary series unit.”

EQUAL is executive produced and led by Scout Productions’ Emmy Award-winning team David Collins, Academy Award® winner Michael Williams (The Fog of War) and Rob Eric (Queer Eye) and Joel Chiodi along with Emmy nominated Berlanti Productions’ Greg Berlanti (Love, SimonArrowRiverdale, The Flash) and Sarah Schechter (SupergirlRiverdale), Emmy and Golden Globe® winner Jim Parsons (The Big Bang TheoryThe Normal Heart, The Boys in the Band) and Emmy nominee Todd Spiewak (SpecialYoung Sheldon, A Kid Like Jake) from That’s Wonderful Productions, Jon Jashni (Lost in Space) from Raintree Ventures, and Mike Darnell and Brooke Karzen, Warner Horizon Unscripted Television.

October 17, 2019 UPDATE:

HBO Max will bring the wonder of Japan’s legendary, Oscar®-winning animation house, Studio Ghibli, to its slate of premium content that will be available at launch in the spring of 2020. HBO Max will be the US streaming home to the entire Studio Ghibli film library, one of the world’s most coveted and revered animation catalogues. The landmark deal with North American distributor GKIDS for the twenty-one Studio Ghibli feature films marks the first time these beloved films have been licensed to a streaming platform.

Available at launch of the service will be the Academy Award®-winning Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Ponyo, Castle in the Sky, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya and more.

“Studio Ghibli films are visually breathtaking, completely immersive experiences” said Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer, HBO Max and President, TNT, TBS, and truTV. “Exciting, enchanting, and deeply humanistic, these wonderful films have captured people’s hearts around the world, and we are proud to showcase them in an accessible way for even more fans through HBO Max.”

“We are excited to be working with HBO Max to bring the complete collection of Studio Ghibli films to streaming audiences in the US. As a premium content brand, HBO Max is an ideal home for our films,” said Koji Hoshino, Chairman of Studio Ghibli.  “Upon launch of the service this spring, existing Ghibli fans will be able enjoy their favorites and delve deeper into the library, while whole new audiences will be able to discover our films for the first time.”

Studio Ghibli is one of the most acclaimed and influential animation studios in the world, inspiring filmmakers and audiences alike over the last 30 years with beloved stories and breathtaking visuals. Under the brilliance of visionary animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki, the studio’s films have won countless international awards, including an Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature for Spirited Away, as well as four additional Academy Award® nominations for Howl’s Moving CastleThe Wind RisesThe Tale of The Princess Kaguya, and When Marnie Was There. Director and studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki was separately given an Honorary Award at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Governors Awards in 2014, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will pay tribute to his artwork with a special exhibit when the Museum opens in 2020.

Studio Ghibli’s acclaimed catalog of films include:

Castle in the Sky
The Cat Returns
From Up On Poppy Hill
Howl’s Moving Castle
Kiki’s Delivery Service
My Neighbor Totoro
My Neighbors the Yamadas
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Ocean Waves
Only Yesterday
Pom Poko
Ponyo
Porco Rosso
Princess Mononoke
The Secret World of Arrietty
Spirited Away
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Tales From Earthsea
When Marnie Was There
Whisper of the Heart
The Wind Rises (launching Fall 2020)


About Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985 by animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and is one of the most successful and well-respected animation studios in the world. Cultivating a creative force of talented directors, animators, and storytellers under the revered brilliance of Miyazaki and Takahata, Studio Ghibli’s films have been praised for their originality, dazzling animation, and epic storytelling. The films have become a beloved part of Japanese popular culture and have garnered worldwide acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away won the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature of 2002 and in 2005 Miyazaki was named one of “the most influential people” by TIME Magazine.

About GKIDS
GKIDS is a producer and distributor of award-winning feature animation for both adult and family audiences. Since 2010, the company has scored eleven Best Animated Feature Oscar® nominations for their titles, including eight in the past six years. Current and upcoming releases include Promare from Studio TRIGGER and Weathering With You from director Makoto Shinkai. GKIDS also handles North American distribution for the famed Studio Ghibli library of films, one of the world’s most coveted animation collections with titles Spirited AwayMy Neighbor TotoroPrincess Mononoke and others. GKIDS is the producer of ANIMATION IS FILM, an annual animation film festival taking place Oct 18-20, 2019 at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood.
gkids.com  animationisfilm.com

October 17, 2019 UPDATE:

Melissa McCarthy (Photo by Todd Williamson/E! Entertainment)

Adding to its slate of premium content from leading industry powerhouses, HBO Max has picked up Superintelligence, an original film starring beloved Oscar-nominated actress Melissa McCarthy (Spy, The Heat, Bridesmaids). Directed by Ben Falcone (Life of the PartyTammy) and written by Steve Mallory (The Boss), the comedy is slated to premiere on HBO Max when the service launches in Spring 2020.

With a star-studded cast, including Bobby Cannavale (Ant-Man and the Wasp, upcoming Motherless Brooklyn), Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta, Widows), Jean Smart (Fargo, Life Itself) and James Corden (upcoming Cats, Peter Rabbit, Into the Woods), Superintelligence tells the story of Carol Peters (McCarthy), to whom nothing extraordinary ever happens. But when she starts getting snarky backtalk from her TV, phone and microwave, she thinks she’s being punked. Or losing her mind. In fact, the world’s first superintelligence has selected her for observation, taking over her life…with a bigger, more ominous plan to take over everything. Now Carol is humanity’s last chance before this artificial intelligence-with-an-attitude decides to pull the plug.

“We used the A.I. from Superintelligence to look at every single platform in the world, and then used its super knowledge and big artificial brain-like thing to determine that HBO Max was the right home for our film,” laughed McCarthy and Falcone.

“This is the perfect high concept comedy with an artist we all love to work with, and shows the top caliber of talent we’re bringing to HBO Max,” said Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer, HBO Max and President, TNT, TBS and truTV.

“The pairing of HBO Max with the tremendous talent of Melissa and Ben demonstrates the advantage of collaboration across WarnerMedia, and our ability to work with our creative partners to determine the distribution platform that will deliver the greatest success for their projects,” said Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

Falcone and McCarthy also produced Superintelligence, alongside Rob Cowan, whose credits include the Falcone/McCarthy comedy Tammy and the Conjuring films.

October 18, 2019 UPDATE:

Gary Janett and Brad Goreski (Photo courtesy of Brad Goreski)

HBO Max, the upcoming direct-to-consumer offering from WarnerMedia set to launch in spring of 2020, has ordered a lifestyle follow-doc series Brad & Gary Go To… (working title). The six-episode series will follow Hollywood power couple, Brad Goreski and Gary Janetti, as they go on a jet-setting culinary adventure around the globe, inspired by their Instagram stories.

“Brad and Gary have become an Internet sensation and it was actually their over one million followers who requested this series. These same fans also helped turn Gary’s go to Starbucks order into a viral sensation known as ‘The Gary.’ said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max.We can’t wait to travel the world with them and capture their fabulousness and hilarity.”

Brad Goreski is one of the hottest celebrity stylists in the industry and his A-list clients are a fixture on “Best Dressed” lists. From The Rachel Zoe Project to his own show on Bravo It’s a Brad Brad World to Fashion Police and Live from the Red Carpet Brad has become a trusted expert in the fashion industry. He has traveled the world styling clients, photoshoots and campaigns and has served as the brand stylist for Kate Spade for four years.

Gary Janetti is an Emmy nominated producer and writer of Family GuyWill & Grace, and Vicious, among others.  His first book, Do You Mind If I Cancel? is set for release on October 22, 2019. Gary is currently making a lot of noise with his Instagram account garnering international media attention with his satire of British Royals through the eyes of young Prince George of Cambridge.

The series will be produced by Brad Goreski and Gary Janetti as well as Purveyors of Pop (Married to MedicineEx on the Beach, Lady Gang, and Real Housewives of Miami) and Entertainment One (eOne). Matt Anderson, Nate Green, and Cooper Green will serve as executive producers for Purveyors of Pop and Tara Long for (eOne).


Purveyors of Pop

Purveyors of Pop is an independent entertainment company producing cutting-edge programming across multiple platforms. Founded in 2010 by veteran executive producers Matt Anderson and Nate Green, POP specializes in programming at the forefront of the pop culture zeitgeist. Known for their string of hit TV series, the duo has developed and produced shows ranging from MTV’s The Ashlee Simpson Show to Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise, where they have executive produced over 200 episodes. Under the POP banner, the outfit has produced series for major cable networks including Bravo (Married To Medicine Atlanta/Los Angeles/Houston, Real Housewives of Miami), MTV (Ex On The Beach), E! (Lady Gang), VH1 (Love & Listings), Lifetime (Jordin Sparks: A Baby Story), and A&E (Psychic Tia).

About Entertainment One
Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a global independent studio that specializes in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content. The Company’s diversified expertise spans across film, television and music production and sales; family programming, merchandising and licensing; digital content; and live entertainment. Through its global reach and expansive scale, powered by deep local market knowledge, the Company delivers the best content to the world.

Entertainment One’s robust network includes international feature film distribution company Sierra/Affinity; Amblin Partners with DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, and Reliance Entertainment; Makeready with Brad Weston; unscripted television production companies Whizz Kid Entertainment, Renegade 83, and Daisybeck Studios; live entertainment leaders Round Room Live; world-class music labels Dualtone Music Group and Last Gang; innovative music platform Audio Network; and award-winning emerging content and technology studio Secret Location.

October 18, 2019 UPDATE:

Amy Schumer (Photo courtesy of Amy Schumer)

HBO Max, the upcoming direct-to-consumer offering from WarnerMedia set to launch in the spring of 2020, has ordered the documentary Expecting Amy (working title) from Emmy® Award Winner Amy Schumer.

The unfiltered documentary shows the struggle, strength and ambition that has made Schumer one of the singular comic voices of all time. It takes viewers behind-the-scenes as Schumer goes through an extraordinarily difficult pregnancy while touring to prepare for a stand-up special. From hospitalizations to going out in front of a crowd of thousands, to quiet moments at home with her family, Schumer shares it all. Beginning the day she found out she was pregnant, through the birth of her child, she showcases her incredible journey on the road, revealing just how challenging it can be working night after night, week after week, with no regrets or excuses. Expecting Amy (wt) offers a hilarious and raw 360 degree look at this new stage of her life. With her family and colleagues along for the ride to support her and keep her sane and balanced, she does it all with perseverance, heart and the priceless sense of humor she’s known for.

“Amy Schumer is an inspiration and this project is such an honest look at her experience being on the road while preparing for her special,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max.“Her willingness to showcase her immense vulnerability, during the most challenging time in her life, is both empowering and hilarious.”

”Women are warriors, every one of us. And I hope sharing my story brings more awareness to the challenges of pregnancy and childbirth,” said Schumer.

Produced by Schumer, Expecting Amy (wt) is being edited by Alexander Hammer, who previously edited Homecoming for Beyoncé.

 

October 21, 2019 UPDATE

Monica Lewinsky (Photo courtesy of A&E)

HBO Max has picked up the groundbreaking documentary 15 Minutes of Shame from executive producers Monica Lewinsky and Max Joseph (MTV’s Catfish). Produced by Six West, the documentary features Joseph with appearances by Lewinsky as they take an in-depth look at the public shaming epidemic in our culture and explore our collective need to destroy one another.

15 Minutes of Shame features well known, bold-faced names and is a timely, irreverent roller-coaster ride through the world of public shaming. Using follow-doc storytelling, social experiments, and the examination of social behavior, this documentary film will feature individuals from around the globe who have been publicly shamed – while exploring the bullies, the bystanders, the media, psychologists, politicians and experts in between. 15 Minutes of Shame is about one of the most pressing and unaddressed issues of modern life, brought to you by the people who know it best.

“Monica Lewinsky is an anti-bullying activist with unparalleled authority, making her the perfect partner for this project,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max. “And Max’s strong advocacy for social justice and distinctive storytelling make him particularly well-suited to explore this complex modern phenomenon.”

Lewinsky’s impactful work includes her 2015 TED Talk “The Price of Shame,” which has garnered over 16 million views, as well as several award-winning anti-bullying campaigns including 2018’s “Defy the Name” and 2017’s Emmy-nominated “In Real Life.” Joseph is an award-winning filmmaker who has made over 100 shorts, commercials, and viral videos. He directed and co-wrote the feature film We Are Your Friends (acquired by Warner Bros in 2015) and his non-fiction work has been featured at Sundance, Telluride, SXSW, and the Cannes Creativity Festival where he won a Cannes Lion. Joseph co-hosted and executive produced MTV’s Catfish for seven seasons.

Steve Ascher and Kristy Sabat serve as executive producers for Six West.

October 21, 2019 UPDATE:

The Ho Family (Photo by Tuong Van Nguyen)

HBO Max cordially invites you into the opulent, over-the-top world of the Ho family with a series order for a new docu-series from Lionsgate TV, The Ho’s (working title). The inaugural season of this comedic, full-hearted doc style series in the spirit of Crazy Rich Asians will include 8 thirty-minute episodes.

Led by patriarch Binh Ho and his wife, Hue Ho, the power couple immigrated from Vietnam to the United States with little money, relying on hard work to establish the ultimate American dream. They have built a multi-million dollar bank, a real estate development company and a new generation of American Ho’s. The series pulls back the curtain of their lavish Houston lifestyle and showcases the tight family connections that unite them as well as the multi-generational outrageous drama that ensues. While Binh and Hue have laid down a golden foundation for their children, Judy Ho and Washington Ho (yes, named after the nation’s founding father and whose kids are named Lincoln and Roosevelt), they are not exempt from the constant pressure to achieve and to live up to their parents’ lofty expectations. Despite the power struggles, at the end of the day, the Ho household is filled with love, laughter, and a few designer handbags, of course.

“Rarely do you come across a family that is so rich in so many ways – not just in wealth, but in heart, traditions and love for each other,” said Jennifer O’Connell, Executive Vice President of Original Non-fiction and Kids Programming, HBO Max. “There’s great pride in being a Ho and they are ready to give the world a seat at their luxurious table.”

“The Ho family is wildly engaging and we’re very excited to partner with HBO Max in bringing this hilarious and exuberant series to viewers,” said Alice Dickens-Koblin, Lionsgate SVP and Head of Unscripted Programming.

The Ho family tree includes:

Binh Ho, 71, despite being the super strict patriarch of the Ho family, Binh has nothing but good intentions. Originally from Vietnam, his hard work has paid off and he is now the owner of a successful bank. Although Binh is living the ‘American Dream’ he feels the need to control every move his children make.

Hue Ho, 66, is Binh’s loving wife and the matriarch of the family. Hue is always the perfect looking, highly critical mom who thinks her children can do no wrong. She often defends the children when Binh seems unreasonable, especially over Washington’s hard-partying ways. Her love for her family is rivaled only by her love of cooking, which is on full display at the weekly Sunday dinner she hosts. The authentic Vietnamese fare is mouth-watering but the drama at the table is even juicier.

Judy Ho, 39, is the first born of Binh and Hue Ho. The self-pegged responsible and reliable one, Judy was the perfect candidate to become a lawyer and did so with flying colors as she is the consummate perfectionist. She is a mom to three kids and is going through a divorce.

Washington Ho, 38, is the “former” playboy of the family with a reputation of dating questionable women and partying way too hard. Once he met Lesley, his future wife who would eventually steal his heart, he was forced to settle down … a little. Now, he’s a devoted father of two adorable kids, Roosevelt and Lincoln, but all of this is about to change as he attempts to prove he’s a changed man and ready to step out of his father’s looming shadow – he just hasn’t quite figured out how.

Lesley Ho, 34, is Washington’s independent, outspoken, down-to-earth and loving Vietnamese-American wife who juggles being the mother of their two beautiful children with her career as a pharmacist. Growing up in a small town, middle-class family in Oklahoma, she’s had to adjust to the over the top lifestyle that comes with being a Ho.

Aunt Tina, 58, is the Aunt that likes to be noticed and makes sure that everybody does. From her purple streaked hair to her tight dresses, Aunt Tina is all about…well, Tina. She likes to work hard and play harder. As one of the younger immigrants of the Ho family, she grew up in Vietnam before following in her older brother’s footsteps and moving to America.

Cousin Sammy, 29, should probably have her life a little more together but instead, lives for the moment even if it doesn’t always work in her favor. Since she and Washington are so close, he decided to offer her a job as his head of marketing.

From Wallin Chambers Entertainment in association with Lionsgate Television, the series is executive produced by Katy Wallin and Stephanie Bloch Chambers. Amanda Ly and Rosalina Lydster serve as co-executive producers with casting by Peter Huntley. Wallin Chambers Entertainment and the Ho family are represented by UTA.

October 22, 2019 UPDATE:

Lisa Ling (Photo by Jeremy Freeman for CNN)

HBO Max has greenlit travel docuseries Birth, Wedding, Funeral as part of an overall deal with Lisa Ling. Each episode of the series will immerse viewers in a different country to reveal their cultures through the lens of the three universal rituals—births, weddings, and funerals. In a quest to understand what connects us and celebrate the diversity of deeply rooted customs around the world, each episode is a riveting investigation of the human experience in a specific region, and a dramatic dive into an intimate moment in the lives of the people who live there.

As host of CNN Original Series This is Life with Lisa Ling, currently airing its sixth season, this deal marks an expansion of Ling’s relationship with WarnerMedia. As part of her overall deal, HBO Max will have a first look at new projects she will continue to develop for the streamer.

“We are living in a deeply polarized world and I am elated for the opportunity to bring us closer to one another through stories about the most defining moments in people’s lives: their Births, Weddings and Funerals,” said Lisa Ling.

“As part of the CNN family, Lisa has carved out a unique space for herself using her style of gritty, investigative journalism to drive at the heart of every human story she tells,” said Jennifer O’Connell, executive vice president, original content, HBO Max. “Birth, Wedding, Funeral takes audiences on a global journey through a range of societies, exploring the rituals around three critical life events and we are eager to bring this illuminating storytelling to our HBO Max audience.”

The concept of Birth, Wedding, Funeral was created by legendary journalist Dan Rather, Maro Chermayeff and Jeff Dupre. The series is produced by Part2 Pictures, with Ling executive producing alongside Rather (60 Minutes, The Big Interview) and Philip Kim for News and Guts.

“Over the course of my many travels, I have always welcomed the chance to learn about the world’s varied cultures through how they experience life’s most intimate and transformative benchmarks,” said Dan Rather. “I am thrilled that Lisa, a skilled and compassionate storyteller, will bring these moments into our homes and allow us to renew our faith in the common bonds of humanity.”

October 23, 2019 UPDATE:

(Image courtesy of HBO Max)

HBO Max is re-crystallizing the Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning smash hit Adventure Time greenlighting four new one-hour specials titled Adventure Time: Distant Lands that will premiere exclusively on HBO Max with the first two set to debut on the streamer in 2020.

These four new specials will continue the Adventure Time stories that captured imaginations and introduced unlikely heroes Finn and Jake, best buds who traversed the mystical Land of Ooo and encountered its colorful inhabitants.

“The enchanted world of Adventure Time has mesmerized viewers and critics alike as Finn and Jake right wrongs and battle evil,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max. “The addition of these specials to the HBO Max kids and family programming lineup is sure to make kids everywhere say ‘Slam-bam-in-a-can!’”

The first two specials, BMO and Obsidian are set to premiere on the streamer in 2020 followed by Wizard City and Together Again.

  • BMO follows the lovable little robot from Adventure Time. When there’s a deadly space emergency in the farthest reaches of the galaxy, there’s only one hero to call, and it’s probably not BMO. Except that this time it is!
  • Obsidian features Marceline & Princess Bubblegum as they journey to the imposing, beautiful Glass Kingdom—and deep into their tumultuous past—to prevent an earthshaking catastrophe.
  • Wizard City follows Peppermint Butler, starting over at the beginning, as just another inexperienced Wizard School student. When mysterious events at the campus cast suspicion on Pep, and his checkered past, can he master the mystic arts in time to prove his innocence?
  • Together Again brings Finn and Jake together again, to rediscover their brotherly bond and embark on the most important adventure of their lives.

Adventure Time was a groundbreaking series and a creative playground for so many talented creative artists,” said Rob Sorcher, Chief Content Officer, Cartoon Network Studios. “Producing Adventure Time: Distant Lands for HBO Max will allow our studio to explore this beloved world in an all-new format.”

Created by Pendleton Ward and executive produced by Adam Muto, Adventure Time is a critically decorated show that garnered numerous entertainment awards and cultivated a generation of talent who have helmed such hits as Steven Universe, Over the Garden Wall, and Clarence. Adventure Time: Distant Lands is produced by Cartoon Network Studios.

October 24, 2019 UPDATE:

“gen:LOCK” (Image courtesy of Rooster Teeth)

HBO Max as picked up gen:LOCK for a second season following its success as Rooster Teeth’s newest animated series. Starring Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Black Panther), the half-hour animated series focuses on a near-future dystopia undergoing a new, technologically driven world war. gen:LOCK originally premiered on Rooster Teeth. Season 2 of gen:LOCK will premiere on HBO Max and 90 days later will be available on Rooster Teeth for FIRST members.

Fifty years in the future, gen:LOCK tells the story of an oppressive authoritarian force that threatens to conquer the world. A daring team is recruited to pilot a new form of devastating mecha, but they must be willing to sacrifice everything to save the world.

Dakota Fanning (The Alienist, Twilight Saga), Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones, Early Man, New Mutants), Golshifteh Farahani (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), and David Tennant (Jessica Jones, Dr. Who) are all set to return to the series along with Jordan.

“We are proud to bring gen:LOCK’s bold vision, inventive style, and extraordinary cast to HBO Max, and to build on the success that our partners at Rooster Teeth and Outlier Society have crafted so skillfully,” said Billy Wee, senior vice president original animation, HBO Max.

“We’re beyond excited to be producing a second season of gen:LOCK for HBO Max,” said Matt Hullum, co-founder and Chief Content Officer at Rooster Teeth. “Billy Wee and the team at HBO Max have been incredibly supportive in the development process, and we’re thrilled to be working closely with them on this project. We were blown away by the response to the first season of this show, both by the Rooster Teeth community and the Adult Swim audience, and cannot wait to bring it to more fans of action, sci-fi, and mecha animation.”

gen:LOCK is executive produced by Michael B. Jordan and Alana Mayo of Outlier Society, along with Rooster Teeth’s Matt Hullum and Ryan P. Hall. The series is produced by Rooster Teeth’s in-house animation studio.

October 24, 2019 UPDATE:

HBO Max has greenlit four original unscripted projects from CNN for the streamer. The slate includes Heaven’s Gate and Generation Hustle (wt) from CNN Original Series and two feature-length documentaries, The Scoop and Persona (wt) from CNN Films – each offering a compelling lens through which the modern world comes into focus.

“We are tremendously inspired by CNN’s history of award-winning documentary storytelling and journalistic integrity,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max. “This slate of projects with CNN demonstrates our power as a media family to create quality programming that covers the captivating and critical issues of today.”

“We are so pleased to produce original nonfiction projects with HBO Max and to release new content from CNN Films and CNN Original Series via a streaming partner that complements our brands and creative goals,” said Amy Entelis, executive vice president for talent and content development for CNN Worldwide.  “We look forward to partnering on future projects as well.”

Heaven’s Gate is an intimate, four-part HBO Max original from CNN Original Series that explores the infamous religious movement and the stranger-than-fiction circumstances that culminated in the biggest mass suicide to ever take place on U.S. soil. It is a raw, honest depiction of the shared experiences of those directly involved with the group, and those closely affected by it. Directed and executive produced by Clay Tweel, Heaven’s Gate is produced by Campfire, the scripted and nonfiction production company from prolific television and film producer Ross Dinerstein (The Innocent Man, 2018; Stephen King’s 1922, 2017), and Chris Bannon, Eric Spiegelman, Peter Clowney, and Erik Diehn for the digital media company Stitcher (Heaven’s Gate podcast, Sold in America podcast).

Generation Hustle (w.t.) is a 10-part HBO Max original from CNN Original Series about the lengths young people will go to for fame, fortune, and power. From the Academy Award- and Emmy® Award-winning Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions (The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, 2019; Death Row Stories for CNN Original Series, 2014; Dirty Money, 2018), the series will be executive produced by Yon Motskin, Stacey Offman, and Richard Perello.

The Scoop (w.t.) is a documentary feature produced by CNN Films and will follow the exhilarating and exhausting lives of CNN’s fearless female political reporters as they cover the most unpredictable presidential campaign in American history. This behind-the- scenes documentary draws from unprecedented access to the campaign press corps and reveals how these powerhouse political reporters deal with the candidates as well as with the challenges of life on the road.

Persona (w.t.) is a documentary feature produced by CNN Films that explores the riveting and unexpected origin story of America’s obsession with personality testing.  Embedded in everything from dating sites to job applications, Persona reveals the profound ways personality testing has formed and influenced the world around us.

“Full Bloom” stars, from left to right: judges Maurice Harris and Elizabeth Cronin with host Simon Lycett. (Photo credits left to right: Maurice Harris, Marta Sasinowska and Mark Waugh)

HBO continues to blossom ordering Full Bloom, an eight-episode, hour long competition series featuring 10 of America’s budding florists vying to be crowned America’s best.

With incredible artistic creations and floristry face-offs, Full Bloom will allow audiences to escape into a surreal world as contestants will design and execute some of the most wondrous, Wonka-esq floral creations ever seen. Each episode features themed challenges centered around a unique stem of the floristry world including fashion, art, events and weddings. Contestant’s designs and creations will be mentored and judged by legendary floristry artists Maurice Harris, Elizabeth Cronin with celebrity florist Simon Lycett serving as host.

Full Bloom will transport viewers into the intricate and fantastically colorful word of competitive floristry,” said Jennifer O’Connell, executive vice president, original content, HBO Max. “HBO Max is the trellis for this series to bloom and shine the light on this incredibly beautiful art form.”

“We are thrilled to be working with HBO Max and some of the best floristry artists in the world in this celebration of creativity, color and competition” said Chris Culvenor, CO-CEO of Eureka productions. “It’s a series that lets imagination blossom.”

HBO Max along with the cast and crew of Full Bloom are committed to using all the fantastic creations from this series to brighten someone’s day. At the end of each episode, unsuspecting people will be surprised with a floral extravaganza that we hope inspires everyone to always find time to stop and smell the roses.

Full Bloom is created and produced by Eureka Productions with Chris Culvenor, Paul Franklin and Wes Dening serving as executive producers.

October 25, 2019 UPDATE:

Anthony Bourdain (Photo courtesy of CNN)

CNN Films, HBO Max, and Focus Features are partnering for a documentary film about the uncommon life of the late storyteller, explorer, and chef, Anthony Bourdain, to be directed and produced by Academy Award-winning director Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom). Focus Features will first release the documentary exclusively in theaters worldwide before the film premieres on television on CNN and streams via HBO Max. CNN Films and HBO Max will executive produce the film. Neville’s Tremolo Productions will produce the film.

“Morgan is the top of the game when it comes to documentary filmmaking and we’re delighted to be working with him again on this project with our great collaborators at CNN Films and HBO Max,” said Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski.

“We are thrilled that Morgan will bring his singular voice to this film, revealing what we loved so much about Tony. Partnering with Focus Features and HBO Max ensures even more of Tony’s devoted fans will be able to celebrate him,” said Amy Entelis, executive vice president for talent and content development, on behalf of CNN Films.

“Anthony Bourdain did more to help us understand each other than just about anyone in the history of television. He connected with people not in spite of his flaws, but because of them. To have the opportunity to tell his story is humbling. CNN is in the DNA of Tony’s work, and the perfect partners in this journey. I’m thrilled to be re-teaming with Focus Features after our journey on Won’t You Be My Neighbor?. I am also happy that HBO Max will make sure Tony’s audience only continues to grow,” said Neville.

Neville has spent more than 20 years making documentary films that illuminate and explore the struggles and triumphs of the human condition. In addition to his Oscar®-winning ’20 Feet from Stardom,’ Neville‘s highly acclaimed body of work also includes the Emmy® Award-winning Best of Enemies (2015) and the Emmy® Award-nominated The Music of Strangers (2015). Neville’s extraordinary Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, the number one highest-grossing biodoc of all time about Fred Rogers, was also distributed by Focus Features.

“It requires a filmmaker as expert and prolific as Morgan Neville to capture the essence of a raconteur and world explorer like Anthony Bourdain,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max. “We are honored to partner with CNN Films and Focus Features on this project that is so close to all of our hearts and give viewers the opportunity to celebrate his legacy.”

This project is the third announced film collaboration between CNN Films and HBO Max. Previously announced features include The Scoop (wt) and Persona (wt). In addition to the worldwide theatrical distribution to be managed by Focus Features, the Bourdain documentary will premiere for television on CNN, and HBO Max will stream the film for its subscribers. WarnerMedia is the parent corporation for HBO Max and CNN.

For five years, Bourdain brought a relentless authenticity to his work for CNN, through Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown (CNN Original Series) and CNN Films. Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown was honored with 36 Primetime Emmy® Award nominations and 12 wins, and a George Foster Peabody Award. Bourdain also executive produced a theatrical documentary with CNN Films about a chef who inspired him, Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent, in 2016.

Lydia Tenaglia and Christopher Collins, founders of Zero Point Zero Production (ZPZ), creative collaborators with Bourdain for nearly two decades, including the series Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown, will be consulting producers for the film. Kimberly Witherspoon, Bourdain’s longtime agent and literary executor, will also serve as a consulting producer. The Bourdain estate will provide access to family photos, home movies, letters, music, and other content that will add greater insights into his work and life.

“Having worked with Anthony Bourdain for close to 20 years, Chris Collins and I felt very protective over the story of his life and the decision on who to direct it. In Morgan Neville’s hands, we are sure to get a nuanced portrait of the complex, wildly creative man we knew,” Tenaglia said.

The deal between CNN Films and HBO Max and Focus Features was negotiated by Stacey Wolf, senior vice president of business affairs for CNN Worldwide, and Stephanie Schroeder, senior vice president for business affairs for direct-to-consumer content for WarnerMedia, on behalf of CNN Films and HBO Max, respectively, with Carol Smithson, vice president for business and legal affairs for Focus Features.

Recently, CNN Films executive produced the Todd Douglas Miller-directed and produced Apollo 11, an archival documentary exploring the historic NASA mission that resulted in humanity’s first steps on the moon and safe return home. The Rob Epstein-, Jeffrey Friedman-directed Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice about the life and musical journey of the legendary singer, also executive produced by CNN Films, is currently in theaters. Scandalous, about the history and cultural influence of the National Enquirer newspaper, is directed by Mark Landsman and will open in theaters Nov. 15.

 

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