HBO Max Launch Didn’t Include All Movie Titles Promoted on WarnerMedia’s Website
When HBO Max launched on Wednesday, it offered a slew of movies to watch. But there is a glitch: Not all the films WarnerMedia, the streamer’s parent company, promoted are available.
For example, “The Dark Knight,” “The Matrix” and “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” are just some of the titles originally touted on WarnerMedia’s website missing from HBO Max’s lineup, reports The Verge.
WarnerMedia has subsequently pulled its original list.
Given the 10,000 hours of content the streamer offers, missing titles can happen. HBO Max includes movies from the Warner Bros. vault and the Criterion Collection as part of its content library. And it’s possible the MIA movies, primarily blockbusters, will appear later.
In fact, “Batman Begins,” used in promotional copy, is an example. As The Verge explains, HBO Max “tells you what you can expect (“Batman Begins” was in its promotional ads), but not when to expect it (none of Nolan’s Batman films are on the service).”
DC Comics is another important content stream for HBO Max. It does have “Batman” from 1989, “Joker” and many DCEU films, such as “Wonder Woman” and “Justice League.” The streamer will also showcase Greg Berlanti’s “Green Lantern” series and J.J. Abrams’ “Justice League Dark.”
But it means hard-core fans won’t get the full library, such as “Harley Quinn.”
As IGN explains: “HBO Max is currently full of holes on the DC front. With many beloved DC movies and shows missing and only one Arrowverse series represented, HBO Max is far from a comprehensive resource for DC content.”
The gaps also put in question the future of streamer DC Universe, which kicked off in September 2018 at WarnerMedia. “Doom Patrol,” for example, is available on HBO Max and DC Universe.
It’s early days. Titles listed as “available now” may stream at a later date. Rights deals are ongoing. The situation underscores the massive task of launching a streaming service and juggling competing interests, both inside and outside WarnerMedia.