HBO Max will be the home of more than 10,000 hours of content when it launches this May; however, Cinemax originals will not contribute to the new streaming service, HBO execs revealed during winter TCA on Wednesday.

“I think you can expect there will not be any more Cinemax originals being produced going forward,” said HBO Max Chief Content Officer Kevin Reilly.

HBO execs say the forthcoming streaming service will be fortified, not diluted, unlike other streaming platforms that tout nearly unlimited content. In addition to algorithms, the streaming platform will focus on a subscriber’s “favorites.”

“The ethos of this product will be a deep experience and a broad experience, but we will try to help you navigate it so you don’t get overwhelmed by quantity and there will be an algorithm. We’ll curate it to create a premium experience,” Reilly said.

Other platforms such as DC Universe and Boomerang will continue to exist for consumers interested in that specific content, execs also said. A plan hasn’t been set for how DC Universe originals will roll out on Max, however, execs are determining a way to “honor those fans.”

The same concept applies for HBO Go and HBO Now, the network’s already-existing SVOD services. HBO Go allows subscribers to linear HBO to access the service via mobile devices, while HBO Now is HBO’s standalone streaming service that will not offer the vast library content of HBO Max. Though HBO hopes that consumers will convert to Max to receive more content at the same price, HBO Go and HBO Now will continue to exist for consumers who are solely interested in original content such as Watchmen, Big Little Lies, and newcomers The Undoing, The Plot Against America and more.

HBO Max is ideal for those interested in an array of library content such as Friends and South Park, as well as originals, such as the newly announced Aquaman: King Of Atlantis series. The premium HBO experience is “embedded” in the overall service, Reilly says, while providing non-HBO content as well.

Down the pipeline, HBO Max subscribers will be treated to exclusive streaming content, including new projects from Steven Soderbergh, who announced a three-year overall deal for HBO and HBO Max.

Sarah Aubrey, head of original content at HBO Max, also gave insight into the upcoming Gossip Girl reboot set to launch exclusively on the streaming platform. A first script has been delivered, she says; however, they are in the “early days” of casting.

“We all breathed a big sigh of relief, because it’s very good… as you can imagine, the bar is very high…. We’re kind of drawing circles around people. It’s early days on that.”

HBO Max will launch in May for $14.99/month. Existing HBO subscribers will be able to port their service over to the new offering.

Tags: hbo hbo max winter tca 2020


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