HBO Max is out! What does it have to offer? Read on and find out if it’s for you!

It’s that day again. It’s the first day of a new streaming service. The last time we had a big event like this was when Disney+ launched last year. And, as much as I love Disney, I think HBO Max will ultimately have a leg up in the content department. While there isn’t much to speak of in terms of original content (at least not yet), the back catalog and licensed content will be enough to hold over the average media consumer. 

But what is there to watch on HBO Max? Where to start? Unlike Disney+, I think HBO Max will actually have a lot to offer a lot more types of watchers. They have kids’ content, adult content, classics, animation, and everything in between. So while none of this necessarily has the clean branding of something like Disney+, I think viewers will find plenty of content to challenge themselves. It also helps that users are getting a boatload of extra content for the price of an HBO Now subscription.

RELATED – Surprise As Harry Potter Films On HBO Max At Launch!

So, let’s dive in.

HBO Content

Yup, as stated above, this streaming service starts with all HBO original content. So you’ll be able to binge shows like The Outsiders, Watchmen, and Westworld at your own pace. You can also watch newer shows like Insecure and This Much is True one a week-to-week basis, the day after the content airs on HBO proper. 

But you don’t just get their original content. You also get the licensed films they pick up on a month-to-month basis. So, wait a few months after a movie’s release, and there’s a good chance it’ll dip in and out of the service  at one point. Right now, the most recently added movies include Ready or Not, Joker, IT: Chapter Two, and Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture.

DC Content

Warner Bros. and DC are both owned by WarnerMedia, so it would make sense that we’d get some of that great comic book content. They have a whole host of the live-action films, including Justice League and Aquaman, but it’s worth noting they don’t have everything. If you were hoping HBO Max would replace your DC Universe subscription, you’d be disappointed (I know I am). Harley Quinn is absent, as is Titans. For the time being, I wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted to keep all the newer stuff behind the DC Universe paywall, but you never know. If this takes off in a big way, maybe they’ll nix DC Universe altogether.

Classic Movies

If there was one big thing missing from the likes of Disney+, it’s classic movies. Sure, there are Disney classics, but their brand is so specific that it doesn’t allow classic movies specifically for adults. HBO Max fills that void nicely. 

Right up top, you have movies like Rebel Without a Cause, Gone With the Wind, and Casablanca. If you dig a little deeper, you can find foreign classics like Ikiru, Bicycle Thieves, and Fantastic Planet. Oh, and if you’re a Godzilla fan, you’ll find tons to like there as well (what? They’re classics!).

In short, if you plan on having a fun movie club with friends, this Turner Classic Movies-curated list can certainly get you started.

Studio Ghibli

This is a huge selling point for me. I’ve always loved Studio Ghibli movies, but I’ve owned relatively few of them — maybe six or seven. I’ve been wanting to revisit favorites like Whisper of the Heart and Howl’s Moving Castle for years now. HBO Max finally affords me that opportunity to do so. And it also gives me the opportunity to see some of the Ghibli flicks that I missed.

From Only Yesterday to The Tale of Princess Kaguya, you won’t be wanting for any of their prime content. Well, unless you really want to watch Grave of the Fireflies. For one reason or another, that one appears to be missing from this lineup.

Cartoon Network And Adult Swim

If you’re a diehard animation fan, HBO Max has some okay offerings. Admittedly, it’s not terribly extensive, but if you like Cartoon Network, you’ll find some of their classics available to watch. Admittedly, there does seem to be a huge gap in the CN library missing, but I only assume more content will roll out over time as rights on other services start to expire. In the meantime, you can revisit classics like Dexter’s Laboratory and The Powerpuff Girls.

But perhaps kid-friendly content isn’t your forte. Maybe you grew up on a different kind of cartoon. The Adult Swim kind. They have those too. From Rick and Morty to The Boondocks and Samurai Jack, they have what is likely considered an “Adult Swim starter kid.” It’s only nine series right now, but I guess it’s better than nothing.

Anime

On the anime front, Warner Bros. is reeling in some content from Crunchyroll. As such, they have some subtitled anime for you to watch, including shows like Re:Zero and Erased. On the dub front, you can revisit classics such as Rurouni Kenshin and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, among others. Like the CN library, the Crunchyroll library HBO Max offers isn’t super extensive, but it’s better than what HBO Now offered yesterday.

And There’s More!

Of course, that includes the bigger chunks of what HBO Max has to offer. There are hundreds of movies that are also offered not even mentioned here. They have Looney Tunes content — including a brand-new series. They have documentaries, comedy specials, and a whole lot more.

Again, I wouldn’t call what they have totally extensive, but I think they’ll scratch the itch for a wide variety of people with different viewing preferences. Now, it’s just a question of how long before audiences burn through the content and are left with few original options to take in. We’ll have to wait and see if that happens, but with HBO proper churning out content on the regular, I’d say they have a good head start on that.

What do you think of HBO Max so far? What have you started watching? Let us know in the comments down below!

Continue the LRM Online conversation on Discord by CLICKING HERE!

—–

Have you checked out LRM Online’s official podcast feed yet The LRM Online Podcast Network? This includes our flagship podcast Los Fanboys, our premiere podcast Breaking Geek Radio: The Podcast, GeekScholars Movie News, and our morning show LRMornings. Check it out by listening below. It’s also available on all your favorite podcast apps!

Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts |  Spotify  |  SoundCloud | Stitcher | Google Play