Recently, there have been loads of headlines about all the shows and movies being pulled from HBO Max. When HBO Max launched in 2020, it promised a robust library of content from the Warner Bros. vault to entice subscribers to become early adopters. One of the big sells was the release of the 4-hour cut of Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Fans had been craving that version of the movie since the theatrical made its way to the big screen. Since the studio had so much content to choose from over its nearly one-hundred-year history, it could easily offer subscribers a lot of content to choose from for one low price.
It seemed to work. HBO Max took off really well once it debuted. Fans flocked to the service for its original content. Comics fans waited for the new cut of Justice League but could sustain themselves on original programming ported over from other WB services like DC Nation with shows like Titans, Doom Patrol, and Swamp Thing.
Just as things seemed to be going well, WB’s parent company, AT&T, decided to spin off Warner Bros. and Discovery into their own company. When this happened, Discovery’s CEO David Zaslav would take over as the new head of the company. One of the first things he set out to do was to cut company spending by $5 Billion. A lot of movie projects were canceled, and some completed movies were scrapped in order to use as a tax write-off.
One idea that went along with trying to save money was to take some original programming and other WB properties off of HBO Max. Suddenly, Westworld, The Nevers and a whole bunch of other titles were gone. In the new world of streaming, it was unheard of to take original programming off of your service. That was the content that was intended to pull in subscribers. If it was only available on your service, then they would have no choice of where to spend their money to watch it. The new regime has looked to save money by removing content from their platform to save on how much they have to pay in residuals. A move that has not endeared HBO Max to creators.
So far, a lot of programming has been pulled from the service, and there only looks to be more coming in the future. Below is what has left the service or will be leaving the service in the near future. Most expect that this content will be licensed off to other streaming platforms in order to draw in more revenue for the company. There are even rumblings of a new service to be offered from Warner Bros. Discovery that will be completely ad supported.
A reality show where three single people try to find love in a wintery wonderland.
Reality show hosted by Ayesha and Stephen Curry where celebrity couples share stories about their relationships.
Comedienne Amy Sedaris plays multiple characters in this send up of home shows like Martha Stewart Living.
Fictional series following two artists living in Mexico City with their dog Amsterdam.
Seth Rogen stars as an immigrant pickle farmer who is preserved for 100 years and wakes up in modern day. He learns about life from his modern relative.
Animated kid’s show featuring the underwater hero.
A young boy wants to join a local bike group in his city but learns it may be more than he bargained for.
From the creators of Regular Show, a married couple go on adventures with their young daughter and friends in the usual wacky stylings J.G. Quintel is known for.
Documentary travel series as Lukás Hejlík travels with his daughter to learn about food and destinations in the Czech Republic.
Three friends keep getting themselves thrown into detention to hopefully find their way into the hidden laboratory of Alexander Graham Bell.
Film that sees the ancient bird miraculously reappear in the middle of a family’s home in Greece.
Reality show to discover the next great furniture designer.
Cartoon Network show about an Earth boy who interacts with different aliens.
Animated kids show about kids interacting with make believe animal friends.
Animated sci-fi series about adventures in space.
Reality show about competing florists.
Animated series about living mushrooms.
Documentary series about money schemes and fraud stories.
Drama series about teens exploring their sexuality.
Comedy series about a young Latina girl growing up in 80s Miami.
Drama about a multiracial family in Portland.
Cartoon Network anthology series about people trapped on a mysterious train where each car is a different world.
Animated series about Ellen DeGeneres
Movie about a couple attempting to pull off a jewelry heist.
Anna Kendrick series about finding love.
A woman on the run from her billionaire husband finds out she has a tracking chip in her brain.
Animated series about a hero cat.
Animated education series about a monster named Messy.
Animated education series about learning.
Animated series about two siblings looking for legendary magiswords to aid them in the hero business.
Series set in the 70s about the first erotic magazine for women.
Sci-Fi movie that follows two college students as they travel to Mars.
Series about a single mom that is a new empty nester.
Bio pic about the actor Hervé Villechaize.
Reality series as single parents move into a house and their college aged kids pull strings behind the scenes to find them new loves.
Victorian age sci-fi series about women with superpowers.
Talk show hosted by Elmo.
Animated learning series about birds at summer camp.
Animated series where a young boy gets a job at a hero store and trains to be the best hero ever.
Animated series that teaches kids about different cultures.
Animated series about Pac-Man and friends.
Ridley Scott sci-fi series about children raised by robot guardians.
Travel series about finding happiness in different cultures.
Special animated episode about a bunny exploring outside his home for the first time.
The series will stay but selected specials will be removed.
Movie about a young girl who finds a video on her phone she doesn’t remember making.
Animated series about an amoeba in middle school.
Animated series about two friends that go to a mysterious summer camp.
Adventure fantasy series where a young girl fights back against ancient Egyptian magic.
Animated series about a kid inventor and his cat.
Drama series about a wife whose husband keeps disappearing in time during their marriage.
Dramedy series set in the 70s music industry.
Sci-fi series about androids that come to life in a wild west theme park.
Anne Hathaway adaptation of the Roald Dahl children’s book.
What HBO Max shows will you miss from the streaming service?