HBO Max goes ‘all in’ on its big genre-driven streaming bet
CNNLos Angeles CNN Business — With spotlights shining on soon-to-debut streaming services from Apple and Disney, WarnerMedia sought Tuesday to offer audiences a reminder: Set aside a few bucks for us. The AT&T-owned company picked the week of Apple TV+’s underwhelming launch to unveil details regarding HBO Max, its premium-priced entry into the streaming universe, which — like Disney+ — seeks to draw on and leverage the studio’s assets, especially those with a loyal relationship with consumers. The latter, much like HBO’s “Watchmen,” will seek to transform an underperforming movie based on a popular comic book into, it’s hoped, another shade of streaming green. Presley Ann/Getty Images for WarnerMedia Not surprisingly, Warner Bros. stressed animation and programs like “Sesame Street” as a means of reaching kids — a key component of the streaming business. Another asset, DC Comics, might not enjoy Marvel’s track record, but as Kevin Reilly, HBO Max’s chief content officer and president of TBS, TNT and truTV, noted, with current hits like “Wonder Woman” and “Joker” and a legacy of Batman and Superman films, the company intended to leverage “the associated brand love that DC generates.” Similarly, HBO Max will pad that portfolio of established fare for young adults via deals to stream “South Park” and “Doctor Who.” On its face, it’s a shrewd strategy, especially since the service won’t be up and running for another six months, giving the latest competitors time to gain a toehold — or fall on their corporate faces.