One year in, WarnerMedia boss pleased with HBO Max’s progress
HBO Max is thriving after launching in the peak of the pandemic in May 2020. Despite a few speed bumps along the way, the new streaming service seems to be hitting its stride, and HBO and WarnerMedia executives are pleased with its progress. Andy Forssell, WarnerMedia’s EVP & GM for Direct-to-Consumer, spoke with Deadline about the streamer’s progress after its first year, and the plans in place to take it to the next level.
Despite launching when so many people were at home during the pandemic and presumably eager for things to watch, HBO Max had some growing pains that kept it from being the juggernaut that it was meant to be. The amount of content readily available upon launch wasn’t what fans were hoping for, and the app wasn’t accessible on Roku for anyone hoping to watch on their televisions.
It wasn’t until Wonder Woman 1984 debuted on the streaming service on Christmas Day that HBO Max took off in earnest, and it has been making steady gains ever since.
HBO Max executive lauds retention among viewers after first year
Forssell notes that executives expected to see a drop in viewership after Wonder Woman 1984 debuted in December, but the opposite ended up being the case. “I expected a little bit of a drop off in January because you bring a lot of people in, you’re going to have some churn, it’s normal. I thought we’d start to bounce back in February and March. But January turned out to be a bigger month than December.”
Though HBO and WarnerMedia do not release specifics on retention, HBO Max has likely enjoyed those steady gains as a result of the decision to launch theatrical releases on the platform on the same day they’re released in theaters. The move was designed to help launch movies after release dates were repeatedly pushed back throughout the pandemic. It was a major boon for HBO Max, to be sure, but the decision was lambasted by several directors and industry insiders, including Tenet’s Christopher Nolan and Dune director Denis Villeneuve.
Interestingly, despite speaking at length about the platform’s success and future, there was no mention of the impact seen from Zack Snyder’s Justice League. HBO and Warner Media continue to be evasive when it comes to how successful (or not successful) the film was as they pave the way for the future.
Next. Take the Black: Up close and personal with House of the Dragon. dark
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels