AT&T’s upcoming new streamer is finally official and for me personally, there are two main takeaways from last night’s big event. First,
That said, there’s no question that
Original Series and Movies
- “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 nonfiction 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 starring “Pitch Perfect” star Anna Kendrick, who will also executive produce alongside Paul Feig, produced by Lionsgate.
- “Station Eleven”: A post-apocalyptic limited series based on Emily St. John Mandel’s 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.
- “Crime Farm”: A drama series executive produced by Nicole Kidman, a psychosexual love story that follows a couple who are forensic homicide experts — whose marriage thrives on their investigations into the depravity of the world’s most notorious criminals. Kidman will executive produce alongside Per Saari under their Blossom Films banner; Warner Horizon Scripted Television is the studio.
- “Circe”: A series is based on the Madeline Miller book of the same name which is described as 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.
- “Americanah”: Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira are teaming up to adapt Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s best-selling novel, which 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.
- “Adventure Time”: Four all-new one-hour specials set in the world of “Adventure Time” are coming to the streamer, the first two in 2020.
- “Rydell High”: A “Grease” spinoff series set in and around the world of Rydell High, the school which Danny and Sandy attended in the original movie.
- “Anna K”: A series adaptation of Jenny Lee’s YA novel which is a modern-day, empowering, multicultural retelling of Leo Tolstoy’s classic “Anna Karenina.”
- “Gossip Girl”: A sequel series to the iconic CW show is in the works. Set eight years after the original’s finale, it will follow a new generation of New York private school teens who are introduced to the social surveillance of the Gossip Girl site.
- “Rules of Magic”: A prequel to “Practical Magic,” the project is set in 1960s New York City and follows three troubled siblings — Franny, Jet and Vincent Owens — who wrestle with “abnormalities” that have kept them isolated.
- “Red Bird Lane”: A YA morality and psychological horror series about eight strangers who arrive at an isolated house—all for different reasons—and quickly realize that something sinister and terrifying awaits them.
- “The Boondocks”:
HBO Max ordered a two-season revival from original series creator Aaron McGruder. - “Gen:Lock”: The Rooster Teeth animated show was recently for a second season, which will appear on
HBO Max . - “Generation”: The Lena Dunham-produced series follows a group of high school students whose exploration of modern sexuality tests deeply entrenched beliefs about life, love and the nature of family in their conservative community.
- “Starstruck”: The six-episode comedy series from comedian Rose Matafeo will follow twenty-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.
- “Search Party”: The TBS comedy series is moving over to WarnerMedia’s nascent streaming service for its upcoming third season.
- “Let Them All Talk”: Steven Soderbergh’s next film, which will star Meryl Streep as a celebrated author who takes a journey with old friends to have some fun and heal old wounds, is one of the original features coming to
HBO Max . - Ellen DeGeneres Projects:
HBO Max ordered three projects from the wildly popular daytime host to series, namely the design competition show “Ellen’s Home Design Challenge,” dating show “First Dates Hotel,” and 2D animated children’s series “Little Ellen,” as well as putting a docu-series from her titled “Finding Einstein” into development. - “Raised By Wolves”: RidleyScott’s serialized sci-fi series will now launch on
HBO Max , as opposed to TNT where it was originally set up. - Greg Berlanti Projects: The prolific Berlanti will produce an initial four movies in the young-adult genre for
HBO Max . - Reese Witherspoon Projects: The actor’s Hello Sunshine banner will produce at least two films for the service.
- “College Girls” (working title): The latest series from Mindy Kaling is a 13-episode half-hour, single-camera comedy following three 18-year-old freshman roommates at Evermore College in Vermont.
- “Superintelligence”: Melissa McCarthy stars in this comedy about an ordinary woman who discovers the world’s first superintelligence has chosen to observe her and her life as part of a plan to take over everything.
- “UNpregnant”: An adaptation of the YA novel by Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan about a college-bound 17-year-old who discovers she is pregnant and embarks on a 900-mile road trip with her ex-best friend to the nearest clinic that does not require parental consent for minors to get an abortion.
- “Bobbie Sue”: A film which stars Gina Rodriguez as a scrappy, headstrong lawyer who realizes she’s been hired by a fancy law firm for the optics rather than her expertise.
HBO Programming
- All original HBO content from the past, as well as future shows like the “Game of Thrones” spinoff, “House of the Dragon.”
- Stephen King’s “The Outsider”: a dark mystery starring Ben Mendelsohn, produced and directed by Jason Bateman.
- “Lovecraft Country”: A 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:” Set in the opulent world of 1885 New York from “Downton Abbey’s” Julian Fellowes.
- “Avenue 5”: Satire set 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 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.
- “Run”: The series, starring and executive produced by “Fleabag” creator Phoebe Waller Bridge, follows 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.
- “Mare of Easttown”: Kate Winslet will star in and executive produce the limited series, playing a small-town Pennsylvania detective whose life crumbles around her as she investigates a local murder.
Unscripted Content
- “15 Minutes of Shame”: The Monica Lewinsky produced doc is described as a look at people from around the world who have been caught up in a situation that involved public criticism and humiliation.
- “Birth, Wedding, Funeral”: From CNN host Lisa Ling, this docuseries will immerse viewers in a different country each episode and deal with their cultures through the lens of the three universal rituals — births, weddings, and funerals.
- “Expecting Amy”: A doc which will provide an “unfiltered,” “behind-the-scenes” look at Amy Schumer as she goes through a difficult pregnancy while touring and preparing for a stand-up special.
- “Karma”: A competition series hosted by YouTube star Michelle Khare which takes sixteen contestants completely off the grid to solve puzzles and overcome physical challenges, with the contestants’ social actions impacting their success in the game.
- “Craftopia”: A kids crafting competition show hosted by Lauren Riihimaki, aka LaurDIY of YouTube fame, which will see 9 to 15-year old contestants race to fill up their carts with crafting materials from the studio “store” in order to make the best craft creations they possibly can.
- “Equal”: A four-part docuseries on the history of the LGBTQ+ movement hailing from Greg Berlanti and Jim Parsons among others.
- “The Ho’s”: An eight-episode half-hour docuseries which plunges viewers into the over-the-top world of the Ho’s, a Vietnamese immigrant family who built a multi-million dollar bank, a real estate development company and a new generation in America.
- “Legendary”: A competition series featuring contestants on voguing teams called “houses,” with the chance to win a cash prize in fashion and dance challenges.
- “The Greatest Space”: A design competition show that will feature interior designers traveling around the world to transform an eclectic mix of empty rooms into spectacular spaces.
- Anthony Bourdain Documentary:
HBO Max and Focus Features are teaming with CNN Films and filmmaker Morgan Neville for a documentary about the life of the influential chef, writer and TV host who died by his own hand in June 2018. - Conan O’Brien Projects: O’Brien and his Team Coco shingle will be bringing five new stand-up specials to the platform upon launch.
- “Heaven’s Gate”: A four-part original documentary series exploring the Southern California-based cult whose members participated in a mass suicide coordinated to the Hale-Bopp comet in 1997.
- “Generation Hustle” (working title): A 10-part documentary series about the lengths young people will go for fame, fortune and power.
- “Full Bloom”: A competition series where 10 contestants will face off to be crowned America’s best florist.
- “The Scoop” (working title): A documentary feature following the lives of CNN’s female political reporters covering the presidential campaign.
- “Persona” (working title): A documentary feature exploring America’s obsession with personality testing.
Licensed Content
- “Friends”: All 236 episodes of the show, created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired for 10 seasons on NBC from 1994-2004, are coming to
HBO Max . It previously has been on Netflix, where it’s one of the most-streamed series on the service. The show made stars out of the ensemble cast — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer. - “The Big Bang Theory”: All 279 episodes of “Big Bang” will be available on
HBO Max when it launches next spring after the platform won a highly competitive bidding war for the rights back in September. - “The West Wing”: The classic Martin Sheen-fronted political drama is moving from Netflix to
HBO Max , with all of its more than 150 episodes streaming upon launch. - “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”: The sitcom created by Andy Borowitz and Susan Borowitz, which aired for six seasons on NBC from 1990-96, is another popular sitcom coming to
HBO Max . 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. - “South Park”: Among the announcements at WarnerMedia day was that all 23 seasons of the award-winning animated satire will stream exclusively on
HBO Max in June 2020, followed by three brand new seasons which will debut onHBO Max 24 hours after each episode premieres on Comedy Central. - “Rick and Morty”: All three seasons of the Adult Swim animated comedy will be available on
HBO Max from launch, with new seasons continuing to premiere on Adult Swim before moving toHBO Max . - “Pretty Little Liars”: The drama was developed by I. Marlene King, based on a series of books by Sara Shepard, which aired for seven seasons on ABC Family/Freeform from 2010-17. The series follows the lives of five high school girls whose clique falls apart after the leader of the group, Alison, goes missing.
- CW Shows:
HBO Max will be the exclusive streaming home for CW dramas produced by Warner Bros. starting with the fall 2019 season, including the DC Entertainment series “Batwoman,” and “Katy Keene” (a spinoff of “Riverdale”). Note, however, that CW shows going forward will be available onHBO Max beginning 30 days prior to the TV premiere of the next seasons of those shows. - Studio Ghibli: The entire Studio Ghibli library will be available on a U.S. streaming platform for the first time after WarnerMedia struck a historic deal with the revered Japanese animation studio.
- “Sesame Street”: The iconic kids’ show’s 50-year library, as well as five new seasons of the show, are coming to the streamer.
- BBC Shows: Programs such as “Doctor Who,” “Luther,” “Top Gear,” and the original version of “The Office,” will be on the platform, with future seasons set to stream after initially airing on BBC America.
- DC Movies: A vast array of the DC movies collection will be available from launch, including the new Joaquin Phoenix picture “Joker.”
- “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit”: All the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” features will be on
HBO Max .