There Are No More Cartoon Network Classics Streaming With HBO Max

Thanks to HBO Max’s latest wave of removals, there are now no more older Cartoon Network classics remaining with the streaming service. HBO Max first launched a few years ago with one of the most promising streaming libraries of the era. This was because it was the home to many of the classic Cartoon Network shows from the early 2000s and even earlier, and it was tough to find many of these shows elsewhere. But as the years have gone on, these classic shows have been removed one by one to whittle down that library to its current state of offerings.

With the latest removals taking out Courage the Cowardly Dog earlier this Summer, it removed the final piece of this former library. HBO Max no longer has any Cartoon Network offerings older than 2017, and animation fans will now have to seek them out elsewhere as they now have been spread across multiple platforms through licensing deals and more in the years since. The streaming service has taken what likely will end up being one of its biggest hits yet because of this, unfortunately.

Cartoon Network Shows Still on HBO Max

As of the 11 current Cartoon Network related offerings with HBO Max, the oldest show on offer is Adventure Time. First premiering with Cartoon Network in 2017, the animated series is considering a classic of that era but it’s not even a decade old compared to many of the other shows that were previously available with the service. There are still a few Boomerang related offerings with Scooby-Doo, but it really has only been whittled down to two of the franchise’s shows thanks to more removals from through the Summer with as well. Even Adventure Time could be hanging by a thread if it wasn’t for the new movie and spinoff shows in the works.

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Adventure Time does have the best chance of sticking around with the streaming service thanks to its new movie, spinoff and second season of Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake now in the works, but that’s also not a guarantee either. Revivals for The Powerpuff Girls and Regular Show are also in development, and those shows have since been removed from the service over the last few years too. So there’s both hope for animation with HBO Max, and not considering it can all change fairly quickly.

What Does This Mean for HBO Max’s Future?

HBO Max likely has a strong future thanks to the live-action shows and recent rebranding back to HBO Max earlier this year, but it’s likely not going to be a great platform for animation fans moving forward. Reports of Warner Bros. and Discovery splitting up their streaming and TV network licenses into two different places also means that HBO Max is likely licensing the shows they have (and vice versa), and we’ve seen already what happens to their licenses. Though they have been renewing their Adult Swim offerings for the service.

The Adult Swim half of Cartoon Network seems to be doing just fine with HBO Max, but this latest batch of removals and loss of broadcast blocks like Checkered Past (which had brought back Cartoon Network classics to television after many years), means that children’s programming in general is likely no longer a priority. It’s a shame considering all the new projects now in the works, but they are more akin to nostalgia plays for the kinds of fans who enjoyed the shows that have been removed from the platform.