HBO Max Has Left Animators "Confused" Following Cancellations
HBO Max broke many hearts when it was announced that some major animated series would be stricken from the streaming service, including Infinity Train, OK K.O., Mighty Megaswords, and many more animated series. While the reasoning behind why the properties were erased remains a mystery, the creator behind these series hasn't been shy about sharing their feelings and continue to do so to this day. Unsurprisingly, the response from the creators and fans alike has been one mired in confusion and heartbreak.
In a recent write-up by Inverse, the thoughts of the creator of OK K.O.: Let's Be Heroes! were shared, wherein animator Jones-Quartey expressed confusion at both their program and the numerous others, being stricken from HBO Max:
"Looking at the wide breadth of all the shows that were taken off of the service, it's hard to even see a throughline between them. We're still just not sure why some things were taken off and other things weren't. The whole thing is just very confusing, and there hasn't been much outreach to anybody."
The creator of Infinity Train, which has become a cult favorite amongst the animation community, shared their thoughts as well, with Owen Dennis stating his worry for the art of animation as a result of the Warner Bros/Discovery cuts:
"It has me worried. I think it has most people worried, fans and creators alike. It makes it seem as though all of this is much more impermanent than fans and creators of this kind of art were led to believe."
Finally, the creator of the animated series, Mighty Magiswords, still questions why it was necessary to strike down these properties, noting that the backlash seemed inevitable:
"Did they really think people were going to be cool with this? I understand branding, but I don't see what was to be gained by removing content, thus removing value from a streaming service, with nothing to replace it with."
Perhaps the biggest project that was canceled didn't fall within the realm of animation, as the live-action Batgirl film, which had already finished shooting, was also scrapped. An official reason as to why all of these series and films were removed remains a mystery, though the prevalent thoughts amongst fans point toward potential tax write-offs and/or savings when it came to paying creator residuals.
As it stands, it doesn't appear as though animated series such as Infinity Train, OK K.O., Might Magiswords, and the many others won't be returning in any aspect any time soon, if ever.