By In a move that seemed inevitable, the rather fuzzy line between originals premiering on HBO and those on Max is about to collapse.
HBO and Max content CEO Casey Bloys is reportedly set to move most of Max’s big-budget, tentpole Warner Bros.-produced IP titles under the HBO branding.
As a result, titles like the “Harry Potter” TV series, the “IT” prequel series “Welcome to Derry,” and the just officially greenlit Green Lantern series “Lanterns” will now be HBO originals.
“Lanterns” also scored a straight-to-series order of eight episodes today with Chris Mundy (“True Detective: Night Country,” “Ozark”) serving as showrunner while Damon Lindelof and Tom King are co-writing and all will executive produce.
The shift marks a change from the previous arrangement which had series based on Warner Bros. IP labelled as Max originals. Bloys explains why they changed:
“We felt like we had to delineate between an HBO show and a Max show. The idea of using Warner Bros. IP as a delineation for Max felt right. At least that gives you a clear lane. But as we started producing those shows, we were using the same methods, the same kind of thinking, as how we would approach HBO shows. In a lot of cases, the same talent that has worked on HBO shows.
What we ended up with is shows at this scope and scale that look great, and great narratives and talent we’ve worked with. The idea of the delineation kind of started to feel unnecessary. Like, why are we doing this? Let’s just call them what they are: HBO shows.”
The change won’t come into effect until 2025 as international licensing requirements means upcoming TV series like “The Penguin” and “Dune: Prophecy” will both still fall under the Max originals banner when they premiere later this year.
That’s not to say Max Originals won’t still be happening. The Max shows of a more episodic nature and/or developed more in the broadcast/traditional TV vein, such as John Wells’ medical drama “The Pitt” and J.J. Abrams’ crime thriller “Duster,” will remain Max shows.
Budgets are also an issue – any series around the $15 million per episode threshold or higher would clearly be an HBO title. All shows will still stream on Max anyway.
Source: Variety
The post DC “Lanterns,” “Potter” Series Go To HBO appeared first on Dark Horizons.
