Everything we know about HBO Max so far

In a flurry of tweets earlier this week, HBO Max announced a stable of new and old content coming to the new platform. Here’s what we learned.

In a series of Twitter threads earlier this week, HBO Max announced what the newest streaming platform would be offering in terms of new originals, classic content and other HBO-related properties.

Here’s what we know so far about the highly anticipated – and somewhat confusing – new streaming service.

HBO Max is its own thing. Sort of.

HBO Max is different than HBO, but it’s kind of the same. HBO Max is a result of AT&T’s merger with WarnerMedia (which owns the Game of Thrones channel). AT&T has big plans for the platform, but rest assured, HBO programming will be available on HBO Max.

This includes current programming like Succession and Westworld, as well as the back catalog of popular HBO shows like The Sopranos, The Wire, and Sex and the City. HBO Max seems to be vying for a younger demographic overall, while offering classic programs to them.

Sesame Street is making another move.

Big Bird and his pals are set to move once again to HBO Max. Back in 2016, in a somewhat controversial move, new episodes of the 50-year children’s program moved to HBO with reruns remaining on PBS. In addition, Elmo is getting his own talk show on the platform:  The Not Too Late Show.

Lots of classics will be available to stream.

Warner Brothers and WarnerMedia properties will be available to stream on the service, such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Lego Movies. Perhaps one of the oldest and best known Warner Brothers properties, Looney Tunes will live on HBO Max, including some new shorts.

Several animated classics are also coming to the platform, including reruns of South Park, Rick and Morty, Robot Chicken, and four new one-hour episodes of Adventure Time.

HBO Max has also partnered with CNN Originals and TCM for streaming rights to shows such as Anthony Bourdain:  Parts Unknown and films like Casablanca.

Finally, after a battle with Netflix, WarnerMedia also won the rights to stream Friends at HBO Max along with some of your other favorite classics like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Pretty Little Liars, The West Wing, and Doctor Who.

Some of Hollywood’s biggest players and brands are creating brand new content for the service.

In a big swing, live-action DC properties will stream exclusively on HBO Max, including original DC series for the platform from Greg Berlanti and Elizabeth Banks.

Big hitters Ellen Degeneres, Issa Rae, Mindy Kaling, Paul Feig, Conan O’Brien, Amy Schumer, Reese Witherspoon, and Ava DuVernay have all inked deals to produce original content for the platform.

What does it mean, what does it cost, and when can you get it?

Media consolidation is real! As it turns out, one of the perks of vertical integration is that you can get all of your content in one or two places. It remains to be seen whether people will be giving up their trusted Netflix for the new platforms out their, but HBO Max is certainly giving them a run for their money.

What remains to be seen is how many individual streaming services people are wiling to sign up for. With Apple TV+ launching November 1 and Disney+ launching November 12, audiences will have a full six months to decide if they want HBO Max by the time it launches in May 2020.

It’s worth noting that consolidation offers many perks, as well. Apple TV+ will cost $5 per month, but subscribers can earn a free year with the purchase of any new Apple product (and the new iPhones just came out…).

Additionally, Disney+ will run you $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. However, as a result of the Disney and Twentieth Century Fox merger, Disney+ is also offering a Hulu and ESPN+ bundle to customers for $12.99 per month.

HBO Max will be the steepest of the new platforms at a whopping $15 per month (still $2 more per month than the Disney+ bundle and three times the Apple+ monthly fee).

Current HBO Now subscribers will be able to access HBO Max for free. Additionally, HBO subscribers through AT&T will be rolled into the new service. However, all of the platforms will be competitive with Netflix’s pricing structure which ranges from $8.99 to $14.99 per month.

With Netflix’s history of being unwilling to disclose ratings and any discernible figures, it may be difficult to measure who is winning the Streaming Wars for some time to come.

But what matters most is what you, the audience, think. Will you be signing up for HBO Max?