WarnerMedia’s new streaming service HBO Max has a lot of good content on it — HBO shows, Studio Ghibli movies — but not a ton in the way of must-see originals yet. It’s leaning on its library of licensed stuff, which is fine, but licensed content can potentially leave at any time, either to appear on a different streaming service or maybe even to go into the vault; contracts vary wildly.
Still, I think most people thought that HBO Max’s slate of live-action DC movies — everything from Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman to last year’s new Joker film — would be sticking around a little longer than the end of this month. But as it ends up, the bulk of these films will no longer be available to stream on the service after July 1, something ComicBook.com noticed after surveying its list of “Last Chance” movies. The films on their way out include:
- Justice League
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
- Wonder Woman
- Suicide Squad
- Batman
- Batman Returns
- Batman Forever
- Batman & Robin
- Catwoman
- Jonah Hex
- The Losers
- The LEGO Batman Movie
Even The LEGO Batman Movie is caught in the purge!
The DC movies left after this will be Aquaman, Shazam!, Joker, Green Lantern and Supergirl, although according to a spokesperson from WarnerMedia, there will be some new films moving in to replace them, and the lot that’s leaving will be back at some point. “We have a collection of DC films that will rotate on the platform,” they told The Observer. “We have a new batch coming in July and then another batch coming in August. And I have just confirmed that the batch that is on right now will be returning.”
Movies that could rotate on to the service in July include Man of Steel and Birds of Prey, although we don’t know that for sure.
Whither Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest?
And where are the ones leaving the service going? It’s possible they could appear on DC Universe, a service dedicated to all things DC, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility to see them on Netflix or something. The confusing part about this is that WarnerMedia owns all these DC movies, so you’d figure they’d be able to keep them in one place. But again, streaming contracts are complicated; these films may have been due to appear elsewhere long before HBO Max became a thing. Or at least, that’s my best guess.
HBO Max already has something of an uphill battle if it wants to compete with the likes of Netflix and Disney+, since it’s the new kid on the block and it has a higher price point than either of them. Stuff like this, weirdly normal as it is, can’t help. Just be sure to get your fill of the DC gang before July 2. And there’s always the Snyder Cut to look forward to.
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h/t The A.V. Club