HBO's legacy titles, and one five-season series might be up first. A common consumer complaint is the cost of subscribing to numerous streaming platforms in order to watch their favorite shows. But in a big potential change, HBO and Netflix could be taking a major step toward tearing down the idea of streaming exclusivity.
Per Deadline, Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns Max (formerly HBO Max) is considering licensing some of Max's older shows to Netflix. It would be the first time in almost a decade that a previously aired HBO show would be available on a competing streaming platform in the U.S. The first legacy HBO title being considered for the deal is the dramedy Insecure, which was co-created and led by Issa Rae and ran for five seasons. The potential agreement, which has yet to be finalized, and could still fall apart, is non-exclusive. That means Insecure or other titles would also still be available on Max.
What The Netflix-HBO Deal Means For Streaming
The potential deal received some pushback, but financial considerations reportedly won out. It should be noted that this is not the first time a legacy HBO has been licensed. As part of a cost-cutting move, Warner Bros. Discovery pulled several series from Max and has licensed many of them. Most notably, it moved the high-profile sci-fi drama Westworld to free streaming services like Roku and Tubi. And further back, to mixed results, some originals have aired in syndication. The Sopranos had a run on A&E, for instance, while Sex and the City aired edited reruns on channels like TBS and E!
The potential Max-Netflix deal, however, comes as Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has signaled an openness to parting with streaming exclusivity for a financial boost. In addition to the Roku and Tubi deal, Zaslav has spoken favorably about the possibility of a streaming bundle, in which competing streaming platforms would be available under one package. The CEO stressed that the bundle is a question competing platforms will have to eventually contend with.
Analysts have said that if the bundle were to actually happen, the number of streaming platforms would shrink dramatically. At least for now, however, if the current licensing deal does move forward and proves fruitful, other arrangements could follow. Ultimately, it would benefit consumers that would have the option of streaming their HBO legacy favorites on Netflix at no additional cost.
Source: Deadline