Which animated favorites did HBO Max cut this time?
Which animated favorites did HBO Max cut this time?
The streamer lost more popular animated content at the end of July.
HBO Max has made multiple efforts to subtly shift its target audience over the past couple of years. The most obvious was its recent move to change its name from Max back to HBO Max, but there have also been concerted efforts to gear the streamer’s catalog more toward adults who can best appreciate its premium brand. Those efforts have included the removal of kids’ content from the streamer, and at the end of July, HBO Max lost two more marquee titles in the genre.
Key Details:
- Dog days of summer: “Courage the Cowardly Dog” and “What’s New Scooby-Doo?” are no longer available on HBO Max.
- Lost license: The removals are thanks to the expiration of HBO Max’s license to stream them.
- Gone looney?: Earlier this year, the streamer also pulled a selection of “Looney Tunes” episodes.
As reported by Deadline, HBO Max has lost the rights to stream “Courage the Cowardly Dog,” as well as “What's New Scooby-Doo?” The two titles disappeared from the streamers on July 31, and as of now, there’s no prospect of them returning.
The reason the two shows were pulled from the service is that the licensing deals allowing them to stream there expired and were not renewed. This isn’t the final end for kids’ shows on HBO Max; new animated series that premiere on Cartoon Network still stream there, among other shows and movies intended for children.
Still, the move is the latest sign that HBO Max is steering away from a reputation as a family streamer, and toward one as a premium service for adults. It ended a deal to stream new episodes of “Sesame Street” in 2024, and the series eventually made a new streaming pact with Netflix.
In March, HBO Max (then called Max) removed a large selection of classic “Looney Tunes” cartoons as well, forming an undeniable pattern of content removals that point toward the shift in the service’s philosophy toward more adult content.
The decision not to renew licenses for “Courage” and “What’s New Scooby-Doo?” is just the latest data point in this shift. Are you an HBO Max customer who is disappointed in the streamer’s decision not to focus on kids’ content? Or are you happy that the service is leaning further into its premium shows and movies for adults? Tell us how you feel below!
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