It goes without saying at this point that HBO Max has had its struggles. Despite having a large library of hits under its thumb, the platform has faced intense criticism in the wake of the Warner Bros. Discovery merger. Much of that came to light last summer as HBO Max began cutting a number of projects including quite a few animated titles. And now, netizens are bristling as HBO Max is currently set to lose a number of major animated series.
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The update comes from HBO Max itself as the service updated its ‘Last Chance’ catalog now that May has started. The category includes titles that are set to leave by the current month’s end, and users noticed a number of Cartoon Network hits were listed along with Adult Swim titles.
From Ben 10 to Metalocalypse, the list is pretty surprising. You can check out the full list of animated titles listed at leaving below:
- Ben 10: Ultimate Alien
- Ben 10: Omniverse
- Ben 10: Alien Force
- Dexter’s Laboratory
- Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends
- Flapjack
- Clarence
- Metalocalypse
- Space Ghost Coast to Coast
As you can see, these are some fairly popular titles, and HBO Max has yet to comment on their exit. A good few fans are hoping the situation is a mistake or perhaps due to a simple licensing oversight. Still, there are others who aren’t as optimistic. After all, HBO Max did neuter a fair few animated projects in the last years. From the sequel to Scooby to Final Space and beyond, animation was definitely targeted with cuts by Warner Bros. Discovery. The industry is still reeling from the whole ordeal as a number of animators spoke out against the push, so you can see why this ‘Last Chance’ list is upsetting social media.
Of course, there is a chance HBO Max has these listed in preparation for its new service. If you did not know, HBO Max announced last month it would be giving itself a makeover along with a new name: Max. The streaming service is set to adopt the name Max on May 23rd with three price tiers attached. Little information has been given about this crossover, but there is a chance some wonky licensing issues with Max could be behind this animation exit. And if we are lucky, Warner Bros. Discovery will rectify the situation.
What do you think about this latest HBO Max update? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.