HBO Max will stop all new original programming in parts of Europe and the company will also shut down Cinemax’s TV Everywhere platform, Cinemax Go, as parent company Warner Bros. Discovery is going through a restructuring.
As reported by Variety on Monday, HBO Max originals such as the Hungarian drama “The Informant”, the Swedish comedy “Lust” and “Kamikaze” from Denmark will be removed from service in European territories such as Central Europe, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and turkey.
On July 31, Warner Bros. Discovery the free streaming service Cinemax Go, which simplifies the number of streaming services in its portfolio.
The changes will save money for the company, keeping it on track for the previously unveiled cost saving plan which has a goal of $3 billion in savings. The company has a debt burden of approx $55 billion and its share price has fallen steadily since the Discovery and WarnerMedia merger, with a current market cap of approximately $34.29 billion.
Regarding the takedown of European programming, the company told Variety: “As we continue to work to combine HBO Max and Discovery+ into one global streaming service that showcases the breadth of Warner Bros. Discovery’s content, we are reviewing our current content proposition on the existing services.”
The upcoming integration of Discovery+ content into the HBO Max platform remains the priority and the removal of content is a strategic move. While other services like Netflix and Disney+ focus on international programming to increase their subscribers, Warner Bros. Discovery focuses on cutting costs.
Variety’s report indicates that shows that are already in production or previously green-lit will continue. Originals in Spain and France have also been spared and will not suffer the same fate as the original contents in the aforementioned European territories.
Image Credits: Cinemax
The decision to discontinue Cinemax Go completely is a given, as subscribers can no longer use the app on iOS or Android devices and will instead have to access the site via desktop.
Cinemax Go is a streaming service that is free to users with a Cinemax subscription through a pay TV provider. The purpose of this is to enable subscribers to watch content on the go. However, when HBO Max launched in 2020, Cinemax Go’s app was removed from mobile devices† The Cinemax Go app used to be called Max GO, so the removal was probably done to avoid confusion of the two services.
Original programming for Cinemax Go is no longer produced, which is the case as of 2020. There are only seven shows on the platform, including “Banshee”, “The Knick”, “Hunted”, “Jett”, “Quarry”, “Trackers” and “Warrior”. Four shows – “Banshee”, “Jett”, “The Knick” and “Warrior” – are already available on HBO Max, as are many of the Cinemax movies, rendering Cinemax Go obsolete.
When Cinemax Go officially launches at the end of this month, subscribers will be able to use their traditional TV subscription to watch content on Cinemax, the HBO TV network, or the other linear channels — MoreMax, 5StarMax, ActionMax, Cinemáx, MovieMax, OuterMax, and ThrillerMax — or on request.
Warner Bros. Discovery has undergone significant restructuring since the merger was completed in April, and CEO David Zaslav has left no stone unturned to get under budget as quickly as possible. Not only was CNN+ wiped out less than a month after launch, but the company also scrapped film and TV projects, including passing on JJ Abrams’ $250 million HBO show “Demimonde.” CEO Zaslav too multiple layers of executives eliminated since he took over.
The streaming world has been looking a little bleak lately. Netflix continues to struggle with budget cuts that have seen more than 400 employees and contractors lose their jobs. More layoffs are expected also with HBO Max, due to the news that the original programming will stop in the European region.