Infinity Train Creator Speaks Out on HBO Max’s Animation Purge

HBO Max cannot catch a break, it seems. This past week has been a rough one for the service as netizens learned the streaming service was purging a slew of series from its catalog. A number of animated hits were included in this cost-reduction bid including Infinity Train and more. And now, the creator Owen Dennis has peeled back the curtain to show just how messy the situation was from their perspective behind the scenes.

On social media, animation lovers gathered as Dennis posted a lengthy newsletter where he addressed the ordeal. It was there the Infinity Train director said they were not told about the show’s removal from HBO Max ahead of time, and many other creators were just as blindsided.

“I had no idea it was coming, neither did any other show creator I’ve talked with, nor any of their representatives,” Dennis shared. “People have been working behind the scenes for days now trying to figure out what’s going on.”

Continuing, Dennis went on to explain how this wild situation came to light. According to the creator, the company at large did not mean for this information to go live for another week so creators could be warned. However, news of the purge surfaced ahead of time and pushed the timetable forward. “This is where that disorganization has gotten us. Cartoon Network warned them not to do this as it would hurt relationships with creators and talent, but they clearly do not care what any of this looks like publicly, much less about how we feel about it,” the Infinity Train creator wrote.

Of course, the biggest question fans have is why HBO Max chose to purge a number of animated series from its catalog alongside several children’s programs including Sesame Street seasons. Reports have suggested the decision was made in the name of saving money. After all, the removal of Infinity Train and other series takes HBO Max (and its parent company Warner Bros. Discovery) off the hook where residual checks are concerned. But in the end, no definitive reason was given to creators such as Dennis, and the industry as a whole is fuming.

READ MORE: HBO Max Is Removing Some of Its Best Animated Shows and Fans Aren’t Okay

“I think the way that Discovery went about this is incredibly unprofessional, rude, and just straight up slimy. I think most every one who makes anything feels this way. Across the industry, talent is mad, agents are mad, lawyers and managers are mad, even execs at these companies are mad,” Dennis stressed.

“I can’t think of a single person who works in animation and entertainment that, when you bring this all up, doesn’t say “What the fuck are they doing? How do they plan to have anyone ever want to work with them again?” Because why would we? What is the point of making something, spending years working on it, putting in nights and weekends doing their terrible notes, losing sleep, and not seeing our families, if it’s just going to be taken away and shot in the backyard? It’s so incredibly discouraging and they’re definitely not going to be getting their best work out of whoever decides to stay.”

What do you make of the situation going on at HBO Max? Were Infinity Train and the service’s other purged shows done dirty or…? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.