HBO Max Will Not Include Harry Potter Movies at First

When HBO Max was unveiled by WarnerMedia the plan was the unified media company to have content from every corner of their empire available in one place. The initial teaser trailer for the service promised the likes of HBO, Cartoon Network, TNT, TruTV, Crunchy Roll, DC Universe, TBS, and even originals for the service. In addition, feature films from Warner Bros. Studios will be available including recent hits like A Star is Born and Crazy Rich Asians, to comic book movies like The Dark Knight and Joker, plus classics like Casablanca and The Wizard of Oz. One key franchise from WB will be absent when it debuts though, the Harry Potter movies, and they may not appear for a long time.

Speaking at the HBO Max panel at the Television Critics Association, executive Vice President of content acquisitions Michael Quigley confirmed that the eight Harry Potter movies will not be included. This is because Warner Bros. previously inked an extensive deal with NBCUniversal in 2016 that included the broadcast television rights and digital rights to all of the films, a deal that was previously set to last until 2025. Chief Content Officer Kevin Reilly however said that they're hoping to reacquire the rights for their service.

"Those discussions (with NBCUniversal) will continue on," Reilly said (H/T THR). "At some point, you can't have our experience without having Harry Potter be a part of it."

The good news is that it seems like the two other "Wizarding World" movies, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, will be streaming on HBO Max. In addition, the third film in the series is in the works from Warner Bros. with the sequel scheduled to arrive on November 12, 2021.

As for HBO Max, the streaming service is set to launch launch in May of 2020 and will cost $14.99 a month. Among its many titles at launch will be both Friends and The Big Bang Theory, making HBO Max the exclusive streaming home for both of the popular sitcoms, a benefit which WarnerMedia reportedly paid more than a billion dollars to have happen. Other shows confirmed to be available on the service include South Park, Rick & Morty, Doctor Who, and originals like Green Lantern, Dune: The Sisterhood, an animated prequel to the Gremlins feature films, and a spin-off of National Lampoon's Vacation franchise titled The Griswolds.