HBO Max launch thread

Roku will be getting HBO Max as well, if rumors are true. Roku’s stock spiked yesterday as a result.

And for those with newer TCL 4K sets, you may have a new Roku update that allows for AirPlay mirroring, so you can send HBO Max content to your TV. Works pretty well - but it ties up your iPhone while you do it.

I’ve been watching through my mobile AT&T unlimited data plan. To think I was paying more for less until I evaluated my plan and noticed the unlimited option. So now I’m saving $40 a month and get unlimited data and HBO MAX. Why I don’t cancel Comcast internet and tv idk.

And it’ll be the first title on the service to have 4k HDR (a good title to introduce it - hopefully it spreads quickly to the rest of their library that has the capability).

Big news today:

Right now those movies are:

    The Little Things (January 29, 2021)
    Tom & Jerry (March 5, 2021)
    The Many Saints of Newark (March 12, 2021)
    Reminiscence (April 16, 2021)
    Godzilla vs. Kong (May 21, 2021)
    The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (June 4, 2021)
    In the Heights (June 18, 2021)
    Space Jam: A New Legacy (July 16, 2021)
    The Suicide Squad (August 6, 2021)
    Dune (October 1, 2021)
    Elvis (November 5, 2021)
    King Richard (November 19, 2021)
    The Matrix 4 (December 22, 2021)
    Sherlock Holmes 3 (December 22, 2021)
    Judas and the Black Messiah (TBA 2021)
    MACRO (TBA 2021)
    Malignant (TBA 2021)
    Mortal Kombat (TBA 2021)

Wow. That actually is quite substantial news. One wonders how much of an impact it will have after Covid… because it really could change things significantly.

I guess they are worried even after a vaccine is available people would prefer to avoid some large crowds.

So will they go back to theatrical release only after 2021? Or will people get used to the idea? Personally, I prefer theaters, because of the lack of distraction and the better sound system. So for anything that demands attention, I’m willing to pay for a theater ticket.

Now that WB have decided to do this, they need to release the movies that have had their release dates changed. That means WW84 now and Dune in a couple of weeks.

I really want to see Dune.

Well there is no way that’s happening. WB is releasing the films on HBO Max on the same day they come out in theaters. So for folks willing to go to the theater, they want that money. In addition, HBO Max isn’t wildly available internationally - they plan to make it so in 2021. So they really don’t want it all over the place on torrent for months before it comes to theaters in a lot of countries.

And they aren’t releasing them the same month either… because then they only get one month of subscription rather than multiple.

I mean it seems they are willing to loose some money on these films, but not ALL the money.

Ww84 is coming out on Christmas.

The people I know who have HBO max are divided on whether its worth it. I’m a total cheapass, if I found someone I knew IRL who was willing to split the account I’d go for it, but I don’t know if its worth it right now when I already have so many paid services (hulu, netflix & amazon) combined with so many free streaming services (tubi, crackle, vudu) that I currently use.

Right now they have a promotion where I think its only $12/month for 6 months, which isn’t bad. But I hope they come up with some good promotion for a one year membership, then I think I’d buy it. I have the money for the service, its just hard to justify it when I already have a ton of other streaming options available to me.

Certainly you don’t need it. Really any one service (particularly the larger players like Hulu or Netflix) will always have something to watch. But the proprietary shows are the ones that may push you to subscribe. As has been said, one option is to subscribe for a month, binge-watch whatever you find interesting and cancel.

The problem HBO Max has with discounts is that people pay fifteen bucks a month for the HBO premium cable channel. If they discount HBO Max much beyond that, some cable subscribers will drop the premium channel and pick up the streaming service and HBO doesn’t want to piss off the cable providers.

If I didn’t have it for free, I probably wouldn’t have it. But I’ve seen most of what I want from HBO. If you wanted to get through The Wire, GoT, Watchmen, the Leftovers or the Sopranos, it’d be worth a couple months to do it.

I would argue that I watch HBOMax more than any of those other streaming services, bar Netflix. Been watching The Flight Attendant these days and it’s very good. Need to watch the Euphoria special. And the Adventure Time special (the second one) was really good.

I am excited about 4k HDR support. I am kind of waiting to watch Doom Patrol until it receives that functionality (which apparently it had when it was on DC Universe).

Various creative types in Hollywood, like Christopher Nolan, are really unhappy with Warner’s plan to release everything next year on HBO Max. The article says, “According to a source, [Warner Bros. film studio chairman Toby] Emmerich tried to soothe In the Heights director Jon M. Chu by pointing out that the movie was still getting a ‘global theatrical release.’ But industry insiders say the studio is pretending that pirates won’t pounce as soon as these films are streaming on HBO Max. As soon as one does, there’s an ‘excellent version of the movie everywhere immediately,’ notes one industry veteran.”

Looks like HBO Max will finally be available on Roku and Amazon Fire.