Warner Streaming Service Named HBO Max, Launching Spring 2020 (and Bringing ‘Friends’ With It)

WarnerMedia has found a name for their streaming service: HBO Max. It’s not that original, as far as streaming service names go, but it gets the point across. In addition to featuring HBO programming, the new streaming service will also be the home to several original shows, as well as the owner of the exclusive streaming rights to Friends (sorry, Netflix subscribers who re-watch Friends constantly).

HBO Max

You probably already subscribe to several streaming services, but hey, why not join one more? WarnerMedia today revealed that their upcoming streaming service will go by the name HBO Max, and “offer an impressive direct-to-consumer experience for everyone ranging from families with young children to adults of all ages.” This news comes accompanied with several new deals that will bring the following programs to the streaming service:

• The exclusive streaming rights at launch to all 236 episodes of Friends.
• The exclusive streaming rights at launch to all episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Pretty Little Liars.
• The exclusive streaming home to a string of new Warner Bros.’ produced dramas for The CW beginning with the fall 2019 season, including Batwoman, and Katy Keene (spinoff of Riverdale).
• New exclusive movie production deals with Greg Berlanti and Reese Witherspoon; Berlanti will produce an initial four movies focused in the young adult space, while Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine will produce at least two films.

The service brings together programs from HBO, Warner Bros., New Line, DC Entertainment, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, The CW, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes and more. That’s a lot of material, folks. But wait, there’s more! The streaming service will feature original programs, too:

• Dune: The Sisterhood, an adaptation of Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson’s book based in the world created by Frank Herbert’s book Dune, from director Denis Villeneuve.
• Tokyo Vice, based on Jake Adelstein’s non-fiction first-hand account of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police beat starring Ansel Elgort.
• The Flight Attendant, a one-hour thriller series based on the novel by Chris Bohjalian, which will star Kaley Cuoco, who is also executive producing alongside Greg Berlanti.
• Love Life, a 10-episode half-hour romantic comedy anthology series starring “Pitch Perfect” star Anna Kendrick, who will also executive produce alongside Paul Feig.
• Station Eleven, a postapocalyptic limited series based on Emily St. John Mandel’s international bestseller, adapted by Patrick Somervilleand directed by Hiro Murai.
• Made for Love, a 10-episode, half-hour, straight-to-series adaptation based on the tragicomic novel of the same name by Alissa Nutting, also from Somerville and directed by S.J. Clarkson.
• “Gremlins,” an animated series from Warner Bros. Animation and Amblin Entertainment based on the original movie.

“HBO Max will bring together the diverse riches of WarnerMedia to create programming and user experiences not seen before in a streaming platform. HBO’s world-class programming leads the way, the quality of which will be the guiding principle for our new array of Max Originals, our exciting acquisitions, and the very best of the Warner Bros. libraries, starting with the phenomenon that is Friends,” said Robert Greenblatt, chairman, WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-To-Consumer.

HBO Max will launch spring 2020. Netflix responded to the news via Twitter:

The One Where We Have To Say Goodbye.

We’re sorry to see Friends go to Warner's streaming service at the beginning of 2020 (in The US). Thanks for the memories, gang ?

— Netflix US (@netflix) July 9, 2019

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