HBO Max: Discounts, free upgrades, launch dates, shows and movies to expect

HBO max, the new HBO– anchored streaming service with additional shows and films, starts on Wednesday – and its arrival brings a complex matrix of answers to a simple question: how much does it cost me?

Like rivals Netflix, Disney Plus and peacock, HBO max will contain an extensive catalog of hit shows and films as well as a large selection of exclusive originals full of stars. But HBO Max is the most expensive at $ 15 a month and how much you actually have to pay for it … well, it’s complicated.

To trick you into opening your wallet for another streaming service, HBO Max has filled up with a lot more content than the regular HBO channel or HBO Now, the streaming service available on the network. AT&T’s, which HBO owns as part of its company WarnerMedia The TV and film department has spent billions of dollars on the HBO Max service itself, in expensive deals to stream popular reps like Friends and The Big Bang Theory, and in budgets for original programs. (For a deeper look into Max’s shows and films, see the end of this article.)

The latest high-profile exclusive HBO Max that has been announced is the legendary “Snyder Cut” from the movie Justice League 2017. This alternative editing of the DC film by director Zack Snyder will be streamed on duty in 2021.

In addition, HBO Max will have so-called Max Originals, new shows and films made only for Max. At the start, the service will have six, including one Anthology series called Love Life with Anna Kendrick, who follows a character through a new romantic relationship in each episode. The second wave of HBO Max originals will add 11 more titles this summer. Most are new seasons of existing shows that are streamed exclusively on HBO Max, but summer ends on August 6 with the premiere of Seth Rogen’s film comedy An American Pickle.

But like most things in the world, the originals of HBO Max were made by the Corona virus Pandemic.

People across the nation are streaming a lot more because they’re confined to their homes, but the virus and its respiratory diseases, COVID-19have stopped television productions worldwide. New services that will be launched this year are particularly difficult because compared to an established service like Netflix, not as many original programs have been completed.

HBO Max did not comment directly on the effects of the virus on the content, but there are signs of malfunctions. A Friends goodbye special is delayed, for one. On the other hand, HBO Max gets creative with new ways of programming: the service has booked a quarantine cooking show by the singer and actress Selena GomezFor example, in which Gomez is accompanied by experienced chefs from afar in each episode.

The $ 15 monthly price for HBO Max is the same as the cost of HBO Now and the traditional HBO channel if you purchase it from most pay TV providers. (In comparison, Disney Plus costs $ 7 a month, Netflix’s cheapest tier $ 9, and Peacock even a free, limited tier with ads.)

Whether you get a free upgrade to Max or not is one of HBO Max’s most complicated questions.

It is at least easy for new HBO customers. You just sign up and pay the monthly cost of $ 15. If you pre-order on the HBO Max website by Tuesday, you can unlock a discount that will lower the monthly price by $ 3 for the first year – by $ 12 per month for the first 12 months.

Some people who already have a regular HBO subscription or HBO Now will get one Max at no additional cost – but not every.

To get the automatic upgrade to Max, HBO must sign a contract with the company that HBO is already charging you – whether it’s a cable television company like Charter or a digital provider like Apple. HBO Max has stepped up these offerings, and there is a growing list of providers that allow their HBO customers to upgrade to Max (see the full list below).

However, HBO Max does not have offers with every provider. For example, Comcast is the largest cable company in the country, and HBO Max has not yet announced a contract with Comcast and its Xfinity services. If you’re in this boat, you may have to pay twice – one bill for regular HBO and another for HBO Max – or cancel your current HBO subscription to sign up for Max again.

Yes, it’s complicated. Everything we know about the costs, discounts, the app and the shows and films from HBO Max can be found below.

What does HBO Max cost?

HBO Max costs $ 15 a month at launch. A pre-order discount offers a monthly rate of $ 12 for the first year if you sign up by Tuesday HBOMax.com.

At some point within the first year, the service will be expanded by a further level, which contains advertising. The company didn’t specify the price, start date, or catalog restrictions for this level, but it would probably be cheaper or even free.

HBO’s current standalone streaming service, HBO Now, also costs $ 15 a month. Although HBO Now will continue to operate, HBO Max will essentially replace it. HBO Now subscribers are welcome to use this service, but essentially pay the same amount for less content. HBO Max will have the same shows and films on HBO Now, as well as a large catalog of licensed programs and exclusive originals.

Compared to competing streaming services that started before HBO Max, this pricing can feel steep for many consumers. Disney Plus costs $ 7 a month Apple TV Plus is $ 5. Both offer offers that can further reduce the price or offer options for longer free periods of up to one year. Apple, for example, awards an annual subscription to anyone who has bought an Apple device since early September. And Disney has signed a contract with Verizon to give each cellphone subscriber to the cellphone provider a year for free.

When does HBO Max start?

HBO Max will launch in the U.S. on Wednesday.

After that, the first international expansions of HBO Max will give priority to Latin America and Europe. Latin America will receive HBO Max in 2021, the company said.

HBO Max’s U.S. timing will bring it towards the end of the streaming services parade. After Disney Plus and Apple TV Plus both launched in November, April brought Quibi, a mobile streaming service from Hollywood giant Jeffrey Katzenberg that focuses on short episodic originals that can only be viewed on cell phones. Also in April, Peacock started a “sneak peek” at Comcast. Peacock’s national launch is scheduled for July 15 (though this date may be postponed).

Which devices can stream HBO Max?

HBO Max will be available on a variety of devices, including phones, tablets, the Internet, connected TVs, and game consoles.

The service has confirmed support for the following devices and platforms:

• Most Apple devices that can stream video support HBO Max – iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD. However, customers with second and third generation Apple TV models will need to stream HBO Max content from their iPhone or iPad to their TV using AirPlay.
• Google’s Android operating system for phones and tablets will also have an app, and built-in Android TVs, Chromebooks, Google Chromecast, and Chromecast also support HBO Max.
• Sony’s PlayStation 4 systems can download the HBO Max app from the PlayStation Store.
• Microsoft’s Xbox One game consoles can also download the HBO Max app from the Microsoft Store.
• Selected Samsung Smart TVs connected to the Internet – models from 2016 to 2020 – can download and buy HBO Max directly.

But HBO Max may not get a popular device at least initially. In early May, John Stankey, new CEO of AT&T, said Amazon Fire TV products may not have an HBO Max app. “I am happy to say that we will be in virtually all app stores or one exception. It looks like we may not be in the Amazon Fire App Store when all of this is said and done,” he said. “But I think the sales dynamics and the availability of the product are very good.”

Where can I get HBO Max?

The easiest way to get HBO Max is to register directly with hbomax.com.

Via Apple, HBO Max will be an iOS app for iPhone and iPad, which you can use to register and pay via an in-app purchase. Apple will also integrate HBO Max into its own TV app, which allows you to collect certain streaming channels to watch in one place.

Through Google, HBO Max has an app for Android phones and tablets in the Google Play Store, and you can log in to the app with an in-app purchase. You can also stream HBO Max to Android TV, Chromebook and Google Chromecast. If you have already subscribed to HBO Now via Google Play, you can automatically log in to HBO Max when you start and will continue to be billed via Google. HBO Max will also be broadcasting YouTube TV, the streaming pay TV service operated by Google’s YouTube.

People with Samsung Smart TVs who support the HBO Max app can also register there directly.

How do I get Max if I already have HBO? And what does it cost me?

It gets more complicated if you already have HBO and want to know what starting HBO Max means for you. Some people who already have a HBO subscription can unlock HBO Max at no additional cost. but not every.

Here is some good news for everyone who is HBO Now Subscriber via Apple or Google: You hardly have to do anything to unlock HBO Max. Your HBO Now app should be automatically replaced by the HBO Max app via a software update on devices that support HBO Max. In these cases, when you open the new HBO Max app, you only have to agree to the HBO Max terms of use and data protection guidelines and select “Access to all HBO Max” HBO Now support page.

Some HBO Max retailers will unlock an HBO Max upgrade for their current HBO and HBO Now customers at no additional cost thanks to the offers HBO Max has made with them. You qualify for the HBO Max upgrade if you already pay HBO through:

• AT & T. (HBO’s parent company) and DirecTV, U-Verse, AT&T TV Now, AT&T TV and AT&T Wireless users who can add HBO with certain unlimited plans
• Charter and its spectrum services
• YouTube TV or Google
• Apple
• Hulu
• Altice USA and its Optimum and Suddenlink services
• Verizon and its Fios services
• Cox Communications
• The NCTC group of independent cable and broadband companies – including WOW !, Atlantic Broadband, RCN, Grande Communications & Wave, MCTV and others (Check if your pay TV provider is an NCTC member.)

However, it is unclear whether HBO Max will do more business with other pay TV providers, whether they are traditional providers like Comcast or Dish Network or internet-based providers like Amazon Prime Video Channels and The Roku Channel.

AT&T also offers a complex matrix of promos for HBO Max. Some customers get Max at no additional cost, while others qualify for a one-month, three-month, or one-year free trial. The best way to find out whether you qualify is to check your account or the myAT & T app. However, CNET also lists AT & T’s qualification requirements HBO Max Promos.

Shows and films: What can I see on HBO Max?

The HBO Max catalog is everywhere on the map.

HBO Max will include all shows and films on HBO as well as a selection of high-quality licensed content such as Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Rick & Morty and South Park. And it will layer exclusive original programming Furthermore. At launch, HBO Max announced that 10,000 hours of content will be available for streaming.

HBO Max originally planned to have 31 originals in the first year and up to 50 originals in the second year. However, these schedules can be adjusted due to corona virus interference.

The easiest part of the catalog to understand is HBO itself. HBO Max will contain everything on regular HBO, that is, all the movies that come and go from the channel; new episodes from all HBO series like Westworld, last week tonight with John Oliver, Sesame Street and so on; and the past seasons of these programs, as well as the full HBO back catalog like Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley, Veep, The Wire and so on. Plus all HBO original films, documentaries and specials.

Films will also be an important part of the catalog. And any film that can be seen on the traditional HBO network can also be streamed on HBO Max. The highlights of the HBO Max film catalog include: (but do not necessarily have to be available at the start):

• The so-called Snyder cut of the Justice League should appear on HBO Max in 2021
• The complete sets of the trilogies The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Matrix.
• The Lego films.
• DC films like Joker, Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad, Shazam, Aquaman and all Batman and Superman films of the past 40 years.
• Studio Ghibli Anime movies that have never been released for streaming in the U.S.
• Anime selections like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and other top titles from the anime-focused streaming service Crunchyroll, which is also owned by AT&T.
• Classic films like The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Gone With The Wind, The Glow, Singing In The Rain, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Goonies, Blade Runner: The Final Cut, The Nightmare On Elm Street and many others .
• Newer hits like Crazy Rich Asians and A Star Is Born.

Ultimately, HBO Max will have more than 18,000 films, the company said.

In addition, AT&T has licensed external hit shows to improve the HBO Max catalog. The most striking offers were:

• A reported $ 425 million deal for all episodes of the hit of the 90s Friendswho left Netflix to start streaming on HBO Max at launch
• A reported $ 500 million streaming deal The big Bang Theory

It has also secured past season offers from Rick and Morty; 11 of the last seasons of Doctor Who plus three more; CW dramas such as Pretty Little Liars, Batwoman and Riverdale spinoff Katy Keene as well as other upcoming CW series; The Prince of Bel-Air; The western wing; and British series like Luther and Ricky Gervais’ Original The Office, among many others.

The animated satire South Park will not only contribute its full back catalog to HBO Max, but will also stream new episodes. South Park’s latest episodes will air on HBO Max 24 hours after Comedy Central airs for the next three seasons.

And HBO Max will have exclusive original shows and films called Max Originals. In the original HBO Max series, new episodes are mostly released weekly.

At the start on Wednesday the originals will be:

• Love Life, the romantic comedy with Anna Kendrick, produced by Kendrick and Paul Feig, known for blockbuster comedies like Bridesmaids
• On the Record, a controversial Me Too documentary about record manager Russell Simmons.
• Legendary, a competition show based on underground drag balls.
• Craftopia, a series of handicrafts hosted by YouTuber.
• New Looney Tunes cartoons.
• The not too late show with Elmo.

After the start are the next Max Originals, the publication of which is planned:

• Karma, a blank Children’s adventure competition series – June 18.
• Doom Patrol, the second season of the DC Universe series – June 25th.
• Esme & Roy, the second season of the pre-school animation series from Sesame Workshop – June 25th.
• Search Party, the third season of the comedy thriller that originally aired on TBS – June 25.
• Adventure Time: Distant Lands-BMO, the first of four specials to revive Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time franchise – June 25.
• Expect Amy, a three-part documentary about the life of comedian Amy Schumer on tour during her pregnancy – July 9th.
• Close Enough, an animated comedy about millennial roommates – July 9th.
• The Ho House, a multi-generation family document – July 16.
• Tig n ‘Seek, an animated children’s series from Cartoon Network Studios about an 8-year-old and his cat who builds equipment – July 23.
• Frayed, a screenplay comedy about a wealthy Londoner who returns to her Australian hometown on July 30th.
• The Dog House, an unwritten British animal rescue series – July 30th.
• American Pickle, the Seth Rogen comedy, which is HBO Max’s first original film, is about an immigrant from the 1920s who has been kept in cucumber brine for 100 years and his great-grandson (both characters portrayed by Rogen) in what is now Brooklyn – August – meets. 6.

During the fall and beyond, HBO Max will add more originals, including:

• The Flight Attendant, with and by Kaley Cuoco based on the novel by Chris Bohjalian.
• The Friends unscripted Cast Reunion Special.
• Sci-Fi epic Raised by Wolves by director and executive producer Ridley Scott. The 10-episode series focuses on two androids raising human children on a mysterious planet. The show had already completed production in South Africa.

HBO Max originally planned 31 original series in its starting year (a total of 69 series in combination with HBO content). Then in 2021, HBO Max planned to expand Max Originals to 50 shows. About half are aimed at young adults aged 16 to 34, and the rest are shared between more adults and children, and family content outside of the HBO brand.

Some of the other highlights of the originals set for HBO Max are:

• New DC titles. A Green Lantern The series, which producer Greg Berlanti (a TV guru for young adults behind Riverdale and Arrow) says, will travel into space and “promises to be our biggest DC show ever made”. Weird adventure, a one-hour drama anthology series, also produced by Berlanti, that explores the overlapping lives of mortals and superhumans. DC Super Hero High will be a half-hour comedy by Elizabeth Banks, the producer and actress best known for the Hunger Games films and 30 rock, that focuses on a group of teenage students at a boarding school for “gifted” children.
• J.J. Abrams. Abrams, known for a parade of television and box office hits, signed one Mega deal with AT&T and WarnerMedia To make projects for the company. On HBO Max, he helps produce one Show in the Dark Universe of the Justice League;; Overlook, a thriller based on Stephen King’s The Shining and set in the Overlook Hotel; and a 1970s crime series called Duster.
• A half-hour comedy by actress producer Issa Rae. Raes Rap Sh * t Researches the music business in Miami through the eyes of three women: an aspiring hip-hop duo and their busy manager.
• A half-hour comedy by actress / producer Mindy Kaling. College girls (a working title) tracks three 18-year-old roommates at Evermore College in Vermont.
• The boondocks The animated series receives “two reinterpreted seasons” as well as a 50-minute special that was originally planned for autumn 2020.
• A new Jellystone animation series with the classic Hanna Barbera characters from Warner Bros. Animation.
• A new cartoon series from Cartoon Network Studios is called The fungies, as well as a hybrid live action / animated comedy, Tooned Out, by Oscar winner Robert Zemeckis.
• Comedy specials from Conan O’Brien and the team behind his TBS show. You will develop five stand-up specials for HBO Max: O’Brien will host two specials that include short sets of several upcoming comics and curate sets of three comedians for hours. This panel will join another one-hour special by comedian James Veitch.

The service will have a smaller list of original films, between five and ten a year, according to the original plan. The first highlights on the original film include:

• A two-picture deal with Reese Witherspoons Hello Sunshine.
• A documentary about Anthony Bourdain.
• A four-picture deal with Berlanti, including Unpregnant, about two teenage girls who take a road trip to New Mexico after finding out she is pregnant, based on the young adult novel by Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan.
• Super Intelligence, a comedy starring Melissa McCarthy about a woman whose romantic life was selected for observation artificial intelligence.
• Bobbie Sue, a comedy film starring Gina Rodriguez by Jane the Virgin as an aspiring young lawyer who joins a stuffy law firm in Boston.

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How does HBO Max match HBO Go and HBO Now?

HBO Max will be similar to HBO Go and HBO Now but with additional programming.

Generally speaking HBO now and HBO Go are almost the same product. The main difference is who uses it: anyone can sign up for HBO Now for $ 15 a month, while HBO Go is the app for people who already have an HBO subscription through a live TV provider like cable or satellite. Both HBO Now and HBO Go stream all programs available on WarnerMedia’s traditional HBO network.

People who already have HBO Now can switch to HBO Max at no additional cost. The HBO Now app will be automatically switched to the HBO Max app on Wednesday by a software update. People wishing to upgrade to Max only have to accept the terms of use, a privacy policy, and a selection that confirms that they want the expanded catalog.

For HBO Go users it is more complicated. HBO Go is unlocked through a Pay TV subscription, and HBO Max isn’t unlocked for all Pay TV customers. (Go back to the “How do I get Max if I already have HBO?” Section for these details.)

How does HBO Max differ from all other AT&T streaming services?

Yes, AT&T has even more streaming services.

AT&T TV is similar to a cable or satellite pay TV service, but is provided over the Internet. AT&T TV Includes live channels, DVR and video-on-demand that subscribers are familiar with, and the ability to stream from apps like Netflix and Pandora. In order to be able to watch TV on television sets, AT & T TV has its own streaming box, which AT & T must use. Subscribers can also see everything on mobile devices with one app. At the moment it starts at $ 50 a month for the first year of the cheapest tier. The price jumps to $ 93 a month in the second year.

AT&T TV nowon the other hand is a Live TV streaming service modeled on Sling TV or YouTube TV. If you were familiar with DirecTV Now, AT&T TV now is just the renamed version of this service. Instead of requiring a specific box, subscribers can stream live channels to Rokus, Apple TVs, Fire TVs, and more. The channels are also available in a mobile app. It also has a cloud DVR. Services like this are sometimes referred to as skinny bundle streaming services, but the cheapest package from AT&T TV Now isn’t particularly thin – $ 55 a month for more than 45 live channels (excluding HBO). Nevertheless, it is not quite as robust as AT&T TV, which is supposed to replicate the huge cable packages of traditional television.

After all, AT&T Watch TV is closer to a traditional skinny bundle. It offers more than 35 live channels, including AT & T’s TBS, TNT and CNN. AT & T Watch TV is a free perk that is included in certain unlimited AT&T wireless data plans. Anyone can sign up for $ 15 a month. It was designed as a mobile-first service, but you can stream AT&T Watch TV to TV with some boxes, including Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV, but others are not supported, such as: B. Roku boxes.

Easy, isn’t it?