HBO Max Still on Track to Launch on Time According to New WarnerMedia CEO

Movie theaters may be closed for the foreseeable future, both film and television productions may have halted, and numerous movie release dates have been pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic, but HBO Max is still on track for release in May. Outgoing WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey confirmed things last week, but now incoming WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar is backing that up, reaffirming that the eagerly-anticipated streaming service is still set for its May debut despite the COVID-19 crisis.

Kilar, who was announced as the new WarnerMedia CEO on Wednesday with his role effective May 1st, told CNBC’s Julia Boorstin, that the streaming service is still on track for release.

Last week, Stankey made an announcement regarding HBO Max, noting that the plan is still to debut the service during its previously announced release this May.

“We’ve also had to reorient how our businesses operate in this uncharted landscape, and our senior leaders are working together to adapt and execute in new ways,” Stankey wrote in the statement last week. To that end, I’d like to share some status updates, and some of the ways we are facing these challenges. Our tech teams have been operating under very unique circumstances and have adapted quickly to a new way of working so that the launch of HBO Max remains on schedule for May; and the marketing team has had to recast plans to reach potential subscribers in innovative ways.”

When HBO Max does launch, it will cost $14.99 a month and will debut with an impressive catalogue of titles, including some major fan favorites such as Friends and The Big Bang Theory with HBO Max being the exclusive streaming home for both — something WarnerMedia reportedly paid more than a billion dollars for. The service will also include content from HBO, Cartoon Network, TNT, TruTV, Crunch Roll, DC Universe, TBS, and content original to HBO Max. The service will also offer feature films from Warner Bros. Studios. The wide-ranging film selection will include recent hits such as A Star is Born, comic book movies such as The Dark Knight and Joker, as well as timeless classics, such as the Wizard of Oz.

Are you looking forward to HBO Max? Will you be subscribing once the service launches? What are you most looking forward to on HBO Max? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.