Tag: max
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HBO Max has yanked 200 episodes of ‘Sesame Street’
It’s a little jarring to consider what’s happening over at HBO Max a bloodbath in the context of Sesame Street, but that’s exactly what’s going on at the streaming platform right now. The platform has removed around 200 old episodes of the classic preschooler show, as Variety reports.
All episodes from seasons 39-52 are still available, along with a selection from the first, fifth and seventh seasons. There are 456 Sesame Street episodes on HBO Max right now, but it offered around 650 episodes not too long ago. HBO landed an exclusive deal back in 2015 to broadcast new episodes of the show before they aired on PBS. HBO Max will be the place to catch new Sesame Street episodes through at least 2025, but good luck trying to find old episodes there.
The platform yanked the Sesame Street episodes in the same week it removed dozens of other shows, including 20 original series (such as animated programs). While it’s common for titles to cycle in and out of streaming services, it’s rare to see exclusives going away. That’s becoming increasingly par for the course at HBO Max.
Parent company Warner Bros. Discovery said it nixed those shows ahead of HBO Max merging with Discovery+ next year. “As we work toward bringing our content catalogs together under one platform, we will be making changes to the content offering available on both HBO Max and Discovery+. That will include the removal of some content from both platforms,” it said.
Since the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery earlier this year, Warner Bros. Discovery has been on a brutal cost-cutting drive. It laid off dozens of HBO and HBO Max production staffers this week. The company recently removed some other original films and shows from HBO Max — including An American Pickle, HBO show Vinyl and the 2020 remake of The Witches — reportedly to avoid paying residuals on them.
It also canceled HBO Max exclusive movies Batgirl and Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, which were almost completed. Reports suggest it did so to claim tax write-downs on the projects.
Infinity Train, Summer Camp Island, and other shows wiped from HBO Max
Daily Crunch: HBO Max is pulling 36 shows this week — Here’s the list
HBO Max is removing 36 shows ahead of Discovery+ merger
The union of HBO Max and Discovery+ is already causing pain through layoffs, and now the move is affecting some shows. Warner Bros. Discovery has confirmed to Variety that it’s removing 36 titles from HBO Max as soon as this week while it prepares for the Discovery+ platform merger. Most of the productions aren’t huge, but they do include recognizable HBO work like the Sesame Street spinoff The Not-too-Late-Show with Elmo and the Peter Dinklage movie My Dinner with Hervé. A handful of Cartoon Network shows are leaving.
In a statement, HBO Max said content would disappear from both services as it worked to bring the media libraries “together under one platform.” The provider didn’t elaborate on its reasoning, although Variety noted that pulling the shows outright (instead of canceling future seasons) would help HBO Max avoid paying more royalties. Warner Bros. Discovery said it would find $3 billion in savings as part of the corporate merger.
As you might imagine, at least some affected producers aren’t happy — this not only cuts off income, but might prevent people from seeing their work unless it finds another home. Summer Camp Island creator Julia Pott noted that some episodes developed during the pandemic will never see the light of day. Warner Bros. Discovery has “no respect for artists,” she said.
The combination of HBO Max and Discovery+ is expected to launch in summer 2023. While it’s not clear if Warner Bros. Discovery will drop more shows or otherwise slash costs, this latest move won’t be reassuring if you were hoping your favorite series would make the leap to the unified service.
HBO Max is offering a 30 percent discount on its annual plans
HBO Max is looking to beef up its subscriber numbers with a solid discount on the annual plan. You can save 30 percent if you sign up for a year (or over 40 percent compared with a monthly plan). If you don’t mind dealing with ads, the service will cost $70 for 12 months, down from the usual $100. If you prefer not to see ads on HBO Max, you can pay $105, which is $45 off the regular price.
Buy an HBO Max annual subscription – $70 or $105
The offer is available through October 30th and it only applies to the first year of a subscription. A monthly plan costs $10 with ads and $15 without for a total of $120 or $180 per year. So, you can save quite a bit if you’re willing to commit to a one-year membership.
HBO Max is introducing the offer just days before the Game of Thrones spin-off show House of the Dragon premieres. You’ll also be able to stream the original show in 4K HDR.
In the past, we held up HBO Max as one of the best streaming services around, in large part thanks to its extensive content library. However, executives at newly merged parent Warner Bros. Discovery have been culling content and canceling high-profile original movies as part of a major cost-cutting drive. Meanwhile, HBO Max and Discovery+ will merge into a single streaming service next year.
Maisie Smith shares new holiday pictures taken by Max George on secret holiday to Crete
MAISIE Smith posed up a storm in snaps from her holiday to Crete with new love Max George.
She shared the photos days after Stacey Giggs, 43, branded Max a “lying dog” after The Sun revealed he had taken Maisie, 21, on the romantic break soon after they split.
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The EastEnders star stunned in the photos as she frolicked on a boat in a black and white swimsuit, and fans commented on Maisie’s post.
One asked: “did max george take these ”
Another remarked: “Max is a good photographer”
Both Maisie and Max have been sharing snaps from their getaway, but have not mentioned each other.
Read more on Maisie Smith
However last week Max and Maisie were seen kissing and cuddling in the pool at a five-star resort in Crete.
And onlookers told how the couple were “all over each other” during the flight from Manchester to the Greek island.
Stacey, ex-wife of Manchester United star Ryan Giggs, began dating Max in January 2019.
But after an on/off romance they split up again in late July.
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Furious Stacey this week accused Max of cheating on her with Maisie.
She told a pal: “To see them dating publicly so quickly after I dumped him is like a dagger to the heart.
“After everything I’ve done for him, I cannot believe he would be so rude and disrespectful. He’s a lying dog. I feel betrayed.
Read More on The Sun
“I’m very shocked he could be so cruel and I don’t recognise the person he’s become. I think Max has become obsessed with fame.”
Stacey took another swipe at Max on Instagram this week but has sinced deleted her comment.
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Stacey Giggs has accused him of cheating on her with Maisie[/caption]
Max Q: Testing, testing
Warner Bros. Discovery cuts around 70 jobs at HBO Max
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After rumors swirled that Warner Bros. Discovery would be announcing a massive restructuring for HBO Max, the company has reportedly eliminated some jobs — though not nearly as many as had been feared. Warner Bros. Discovery is cutting around 14 percent of staff, or about 70 jobs, that had been under the purview of HBO and HBO Max chief content officer Casey Bloys, according to Variety.
HBO Max fans had reason to worry about worse cuts — Warner Bros. Discovery shelved Batgirl earlier this month (reportedly for a tax write-off) and has quietly pulled several HBO Max-exclusive films off the service. But ahead of Warner Bros. Discovery replacing HBO Max and Discovery Plus with one combined service next summer, the company is making some…