HBO Max Streaming Service Launching on May 27

Tuesday April 21, 2020 12:33 pm PDT by Juli Clover

HBO Max, WarnerMedia's new streaming service that combines HBO content with shows and films from Warner Bros and Turner TV, is set to debut on Wednesday, May 27, the company announced today.

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HBO Max will have all of the existing HBO content, but will also add classic movies and TV shows, such as "Friends." The service will also feature original content, offering more total content than HBO Now and HBO Go, the two existing HBO streaming services.

TV shows and films will be added from CNN, TNT, TBS, The CW, TCM, Adult Swim, and more, with series like "The Big Bang Theory" and "South Park" included. Some of the original content will include "Toyko Vice" with Ansel Elgort, a "Grease" spinoff, and a sequel to "Gossip Girl."

HBO plans to provide existing HBO subscribers on AT&T and HBO Now direct billing subscribers with access to HBO Max for free, and customers who subscribe to AT&T's premium mobile and broadband packages will also be offered HBO Max access at no cost.

Specifically, DirecTV, U-Verse, and AT&T subscribers who already pay for AT&T will get access to HBO Max at no additional cost. Free access will be included in the following packages: DirecTV Premier, U-Verse U400, U-Verse U450, and AT&T TV Now Max.

New AT&T TV and DirecTV Choice, Xtra, or Ultimate customers will get one free year of HBO Max, while other tiers will receive a three-month free trial. Wireless customers who have AT&T's Ultimate Elite plan will get HBO Max for free, other plans will get one-month free trials.

Customers who have the AT&T Internet 1000 plan will also get HBO Max for free. More info on who will get free access to HBO Max can be found in the press release for the service.

HBO Max will feature more than 10,000 hours of programming, and will cost $14.99 per month during the first year. In 2021, WarnerMedia also plans to launch an ad-supported version of the service that is more affordable.

Tags: HBO, HBO Max

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Top Rated Comments

fokmik

85 months ago

Hbo go, Hbo max...we need Hbo Lite, Hbo SE and Hbo Plus
Maybe if we are worth it...we get HBO PRO MAX someday

Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Noctilux.95

85 months ago

I prefer HBO let it GO

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

bpeeps

85 months ago

Let me guess, only available in the USA? They will never be able to compete with Netflix and Disney Plus by not launching internationally. :rolleyes:

Why do people get so fussed with American companies launching first in America. Nine times out of ten their licensing and distributing deals make it a bigger hassle to do a full blown international launch. These are things that are easier to do when scaled up over time.

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

mnsportsgeek

85 months ago

Kind of disappointed that Apple TV Channels won’t be getting it at launch. I’ve already cancelled my subscription through Apple and will plan to resubscribe through HBO Now when my subscription through Apple runs out.

Also, HBO really needs to get on the 4K bandwagon. It’s pathetic that they are still streaming in 1080p.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

subjonas

85 months ago

I'm not sure what the point of HBO Now and HBO Max coexisting is. If HBO Max is just a superset of HBO Now, what keeps anyone from just dropping Now and subscribing to Max? From what I can see the price is the same, unless they plan to discount Now.

Ive been trying to figure that one out myself! I have HBO Now through direct billing. Once Max launches, I have access to it. But why not just supplant Now? It’s seriously confusing!

Seriously, what is the difference between Now and Max?

I too am curious about this. I changed cable plans recently and decided to go direct with HBO vs. bundling it with my cable plan, so I switched from using HBO Go to HBO Now. It's $15/month. Why wouldn't I want to pay the same amount for... more?

From what I have read, HBO needs to keep Now just during the transition period (didn’t catch the technical reasons), but eventually everyone will be on Max. And Now will be history.

Does anyone know whether HBO will finally have 4k HDR content?

My only question is if it comes with 4K and decent sound. Nowadays HBO has so poor picture

This is something I really want to know too and have not been able to find any information. But the lack of info suggests to me it’s still HD. Seems like they would be touting a switch to 4k. But still hoping.

Because the price of MAX increases after the first year.

I’ve searched and haven’t seen this anywhere. Got a link?

Crave TV here in Canada does it that way. You can have your choice of “channels” or you can wait till the episode that’s now half-finished is done, and then you can watch the entire thing. It’s a matter of choice. Sometimes you want to see something when the moment it airs.

I believe for HBO, new show episodes are made available on demand the moment they air.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

zorinlynx

85 months ago

I'm not sure what the point of HBO Now and HBO Max coexisting is. If HBO Max is just a superset of HBO Now, what keeps anyone from just dropping Now and subscribing to Max? From what I can see the price is the same, unless they plan to discount Now.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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HBO Max Streaming Service Launching on May 27

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