The Impending Demise of HBO Max, the Best Streaming Service

The Monitor is a weekly column devoted to everything happening in the WIRED world of culture, from movies to memes, TV to Twitter. Per the New York Post, one of the first outlets to report the movie’s demise on Tuesday, audiences at test screenings didn’t take to the film, and it was “irredeemable.” In an Instagram post, El Arbi and Fallah said they were “saddened and shocked by the news.” The duo added that it was critical to them that audiences see their work, and “maybe one day they will insha’Allah.” Shortly after the news dropped, folks found out Batgirl was likely a casualty of the $43 billion Warner Bros.-Discovery merger, which closed in April. Discovery announced that, in summer 2023, it would be merging HBO Max and Discovery+ into one streaming service. A new focus on theatrical might thrill directors like Denis Villeneuve, but it doesn’t negate the fact that HBO Max has an extensive, impressive catalog of offerings big and small. These comments also seem rich coming in conjunction with the announcement of the merger of HBO Max and Discovery+ into one streaming service.