HBO Max Removing Fan-Favorite HBO Shows From Streamer

Warner Bros. Discovery's cost-cutting tactics are continuing to impact HBO Max — and now, they're impacting two shows from HBO itself. On Monday, reports revealed that the company will be removing two HBO hits, Westworld and The Nevers, from its streaming service. It is believed that both series will resurface on some sort of other streamer at a later date. This news comes after Westworld was officially cancelled after four seasons last month. The Nevers, meanwhile, is still expected to air the second half of its first season at a later date. It is unclear at this point if those remaining episodes of The Nevers might still air on linear HBO, or only end up on the series' eventual new streaming home. 

These removals from HBO Max are particularly noteworthy, given that both shows were produced by Warner Bros. Discovery specifically for HBO. The company has already made headlines multiple times this month for removing other original shows from its platform, like the Sony TV-produced Gordita Chronicles, and the Lionsgate-produced Minx and Love Life.

Why is HBO Max cancelling so many shows?

These removals comes amid a string of new behind-the-scenes changes at HBO Max, following the recent merger of its new parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery. These patterns began with the cancellation of Batgirl and Scoob!: Holiday Haunt back in August. Both films, which were already completed and were set to debut on HBO Max, were later reported to be canned for the sake of tax write-downs, which will seemingly be recorded in Q3 of 2022. In the days since, Warner Bros. Discovery removed six HBO Max-exclusive movies from their streaming platform, as well as a number of fan-favorite animated series. Anonymous sources alleged in August of this year that no existing show is safe from potentially being cancelled or written off, with Warner Bros. Discovery now making decisions on a case-by-case basis.

"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," OK K.O.: Let's Be Heroes! creator Ian Jones-Quartey said in an interview last month. "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."  

What do you think of Warner Bros. Discovery removing Westworld and The Nevers from HBO Max? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

h/t: Deadline