In addition to canceling “Batgirl” and a new animated film “Scooby-Doo”, Warner Bros. Discovery has begun making movies disappear from HBO Max. This Wednesday (3/8), six productions released under the name Max Originals have disappeared from the platform’s catalog around the world.
One such film is a very popular title: the children’s fantasy “Witches Convention” with Anne Hathaway. Indeed, the actress suffered doubly, as her action comedy “Confinement” also disappeared. The others missing are “Our Dreams from Mars”, a teenage love story with Cole Sprouse in “Riverdale”, the comedies “An American Cucumber”, directed and starring Seth Rogen, and “Superintelligence”, with Melissa McCarhty, as well as to “Charm City Kings”, by director Angel Manuel Soto, responsible for the upcoming “Besouro Azul”.
The titles have disappeared without further notice and point to the end of Max Originals, films made exclusively for streaming on the HBO Max platform.
The platform has not yet officially come out to explain what is happening, which increases public apprehension and the bad impression of the market. As a result, voices occupy posts that should be occupied by spokespersons.
The only official statement released this Wednesday was basically centered around the cancellation of the “Batgirl” premiere.
“The decision not to release ‘Batgirl’ reflects the strategic shift in our leadership in the DC and HBO Max universe,” the company said in a statement.
The text does not explain the strategic change that led to this chaos. But by putting together snippets of other communications, the idea is formed that, following the merger of Warner and Discovery, the new management has opted for priorities that are radically opposed to current strategies in relation to the production of films for streaming. In other words, no more Max Originals. The only films that Warner will produce in the future will be for theatricals.
In the absence of a clear communication on the subject, this initiative seems to extend to the original series in streaming as well. It would be a shock to see HBO Max cancel “Hacks” after winning an Emmy or a “Peacemaker” in front of the blockbuster, but the company’s steps are in that direction.
Warner Bros. Discovery has canceled all HBO Max international originals, as well as the entire production of children’s cartoons and attractions. What’s more: it has announced that it no longer intends to develop children’s productions or make exclusive European productions for streaming. Therefore, all series on the platform would presumably come from traditional HBO. Not from the conglomerate, but basically from HBO, because WBD has also cut original series production from Turner channels like TNT and TBS.
Basically, the result is a throwback to the days of HBO Go.
Not surprisingly, social networks are seething with comments about the end of HBO Max.
It is known that CEO David Zaslav, who came from Discovery to take over Warner Bros. Discovery, aims to merge the HBO Max and Discovery + platforms into one service. And the current moves, made without communication, help to devalue the HBO Max brand, effectively allowing it to become extinct.
Silence is terrible, because it affects the work of thousands of professionals around the world.
In Brazil, for example, the order was to stop development of the platform’s first soap opera, “Segundas Intenções”, scripted by Raphael Montes (“Bom Dia, Verônica”), who already had a cast. Actors like Camila Pitanga, Antonio Fagundes and Alice Wegmann are already editing new work and the company’s future projects will have a hard time attracting names of this size again.
There are many public insults and expressions of disappointment on Twitter.
“If HBO Max is truly cutting out all scheduled content, this may be the dumbest decision any company has made in the streaming age,” commented one user.
“It’s depressing to see what’s going on with HBO Max, even more so because it seems to be pointless,” said another.
Source: Terra
Emily Jhon is a product and service reviewer at Gossipify, known for her honest evaluations and thorough analysis. With a background in marketing and consumer research, she offers valuable insights to readers. She has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Marketing and Consumer Research from the University of Oxford.
