I have HBO now through Hulu and I get HBO Max. I just log in with my Hulu account. Its just a matter of moving people who don't know, from Hulu and other providers to they're app.
Was excited too see impractical jokers on theyrr because I haven't been able to watch since I got rid of Cable. But then they only have the first 4 seasons. So disappointed.
I disagree with that review. I haven't done a chance to deep dive into the full content yet and while it does look like it doesn't have all of the Criterion stuff that The Criterion Channel has, it does have the added benefit of TCM that HBOMax has. So, if you're looking for the art house stuff, just go with Criterion, but if you want classic American cinema as well like Casablanca, Citizen Kane, North by Northwest, etc., HBO Max is the only place to get that (Unless you have cable and can link it to the app, I don't though). And then of course, HBO is good too. Some of the best TV ever made and a decent film collection in their own right.
I got it for the discount. Has very little content. Looney Tunes is the best launch title they have. Searched for several movies that JustWatch says are on HBO and Max had none of them.
I'll keep it for the month to watch Looney Tunes and Watchmen, then drop it. WB needs to get it's act together. They have plenty of content but spreading it between a half dozen services makes the individual ones look bad.
WarnerMax Studios, there fixed it.
Why in the world are they so obsessed with the HBO brand name. It's not even the prestige network any more, lost that to Netflix.
Warner Bros used to be massive brand in it's own right. Own your history, don't through it away because your cable channel had a good 2 decade run.
And hulu does not get half the stuff! No studio ghibili for hulu. It will tell you to go to the app to watch the stuff you can't get! Lol. On amazon and roku you can't so enjoy only half the stuff on hbo max if you are on hulu!I have HBO now through Hulu and I get HBO Max. I just log in with my Hulu account. Its just a matter of moving people who don't know, from Hulu and other providers to they're app.
Also another day another no hbo max on roku.
WarnerMax Studios, there fixed it.
Why in the world are they so obsessed with the HBO brand name. It's not even the prestige network any more, lost that to Netflix.
Warner Bros used to be massive brand in it's own right. Own your history, don't through it away because your cable channel had a good 2 decade run.
This. WB is one of the biggest studios in the world. Everyone knows the wb shield. Use it!
Last edited by Gaastra; 05-30-2020 at 06:52 AM.
I thought that was weird since the beginning. In fact, the way that Warner Media has handled streaming services was already weird. They've already launched two niche services before this, which is weird as it is. Boomerang, which doesn't have nearly everything it should in its library considering the size of their cartoon catalog. And DC Universe which is weird in a couple of ways. It has some notable gaps in its library either because it intentionally left out movies people were embarrassed by or because of preexisting deals (for example, I went looking for Batman Forever and it wasn't there). Not sure which it was. And . . . Who is the service for besides DC Comics fans? The DC Universe originals has focused on grown-up fare like Titans, Swamp Thing and Doom Patrol but its back catalog is filled with old children's cartoons.
Well, hopefully they get their crap together eventually.
This is what separates WB/AT&T from Disney and that is it's execution. When you compare the two based off of catalog quality only, WB actually has the better catalog and IP but Disney has the better execution which includes clear cut marketing, and organizational direction. Disney doesn't let too many cooks in the kitchen which is why the are more successful.
HBO Max is a mess! It's confusing as they have too many HBO app variations, they need to swallow their freaking pride and consolidate all of those apps into one. Heck, even with Boomerang and dc universe why don't they just consolidate the location into the HBO max app and offer it as an add on for additional charge per month. This is similar to other streaming services offer HBO, cinemax, starz, nfl redzone, etc to their apps.
Why is the entire wb catalog not on hbo max? There is simply no excuse. Further, AT&T needs to stop being so money hungry and follow the path that has already been paved by other streaming services when it comes to promotions and pricing. The $15 per month doesn't bother me but the lack of promotions and partnerships does. Disney, Apple Music, and Netflix all made deals with the cellphone carriers that gave ellpjone customers access to months orveven a year of free access to their services. Verizon gave ALL of their customers a free year of Disney+, that gave Disney+ many more subscribers than they would've had at launch. This is poor management and I bet many stakeholders aren't happy and it will be someone's job for this launch failure.
WB's problem is they always hedge their bets. So instead of having 1 holistic streaming service they have a half dozen (or more). Instead of having a roadmap for their franchise films they wait-and-see on each one of them.
Take DC universe which launched with no recent live-action films. None. Ok, fine, but at least it has all of the animated movies, right? For a while it had most, then those started disappearing too. Can they really be making that much money farming out the straight-to-video DC movies?
When buying another streaming service (especially a niche one) people do not want some of the content, they want all of it (within reason). Disney doesn't have every Disney property on Disney+, but the ones they own the rights to they for the most part do.
What WB lacks is a vision and a commitment to see that vision through.
I'm going to fix WB's branding problem for them:
Content
- HBO - Prestige TV and award winning documentaries
- Warner Studios - Films
- Warner Animation - Animated TV and films.
- Adult Swim - Adult oriented animation.
- DC - Superheroes.
- Crunchyroll - Anime
etc.
Services / Channels
- HBO TV - Legacy cable channel
- Turner channels (TNT, etc)
- Warner Max - Complete Warner-owned streaming platform.
Done, branding issue solved.
As a movie and cartoon fan, I completely agree that the streaming service should have used the Warner name, but I guess they did market research that showed that the HBO name was clearer to consumers as to what the content was. In other words, it's easier to guess what an "HBO-type" show is than a "Warner" show. HBO might have a better brand identity. Warner has a better history, but the name could mean different things (or nothing) to different people. Of movie studios, really only "Disney" is a name that is strongly identified with its content.
And now that AT&T has spent so much money marketing the HBO Max name, to change it now would only lead to more consumer confusion.
However, I myself suggested a WarnerMedia streaming service a few years ago when the DC Universe streaming service was announced because I didn't think that Warner needed so many niche services. So, I completely agree with everyone who feels that the HBO Max name is ill-advised and that the rollout creates confusion and redundancies with all the other streaming services Warner has. However, given what it would take to change course now, I think we're stuck with it.
https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post3808467
Originally Posted by Comic-Reader Lad, July 23, 2018
Last edited by Comic-Reader Lad; 05-30-2020 at 08:23 AM.
Batman Forever was there on launch day, so it's not because it's low quality that it's missing. Also it's on HBO Max?
Say what you will about Disney plus, but there was definitely a concerted effort to make sure most things people wanted to see would be on there at launch, no matter how niche the taste. (still waiting on Mother Goose's Rock and Rhyme)
I guess the general public doesn't know which properties are associated with what company the way we pop culture junkies on these forums would. For example, you tell us Warner Media, and we realize that at least means DC Comics, Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, Harry Potter and a few others (I think Midway Games may even be in there). The funny thing is: I had no idea that they had HBO until I heard about this service being launched. To me, HBO was that premium channel that had Fraggle Rock when I was a kid and my parents would never pay for. I guess most people these days know it from Sopranos and Game of Thrones.
I've heard the name "Water Tower" be suggested as a name.
I think WB Max would have been a better name. WB is one of the few companies whose catalog rivals Disney's.