AT&T’s WarnerMedia revealed Tuesday that the streaming service HBO Max would launch on May 27.
A deep library is going to start the service. Ten thousand hours of WarnerMedia brand stable content will be available from HBO Max, including HBO and Warner Bros. films. It also will be ‘Friends’ exclusive house, one of the most popular sites in the history of TV. The greatest draw in terms of material that you can’t get anywhere will inevitably be the unscripted cast reunion special for ‘Friends.’
In addition, the company focuses on family entertainment to provide HBO with a more robust way to compete in a competitive market with rival streamers such as Netflix and Disney+. Over time, HBO Max can easily convert its HBO NOW subscribers base.
This means that the launch will happen during a time when many families are trapped in the coronavirus pandemic to look for things to watch as a group. For HBO Max, this might be useful — at least in the early days before the shutdowns are lifted.
“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,” Robert Greenblatt, chairman of WarnerMedia entertainment and direct-to-consumer, said in a statement. “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.”
HBO Max is a little more expensive than its rivals at a price of $14,99 a month. It costs double that of Disney+ for $6.99 a month and more than the regular Netflix package, which costs $12.99 a month.
The service is a significant play for the parent company WarnerMedia of AT&T (T), and CNN as technology and legacy media outlets seek to keep up with changing customer tastes and viewing patterns. Last year AT&T said it expects to invest nearly two billion dollars on HBO Max for the next two years.
