HBO Max streams new movies from Warner Bros. the same day they're released in theaters.
Angela Lang/CNETThis year, all year, HBO Max is streaming new, theatrically released movies at no extra charge the same day each film hits US cinemas. But this weekend's biggest releases -- like The Forever Purge, Boss Baby 2 and Zola -- aren't streaming on HBO Max. (The Boss Baby: The Family Business is streaming now, at the same time it's in theaters, but not on HBO Max. It's on Peacock, if you sign up to a $5- or $10-a-month subscription.) And last weekend's big box-office hit, The Fast and the Furious 9, isn't on Max now either.
HBO Max made waves last year when it announced it would stream new, theatrically released movies at no extra charge the same day each film hits US cinemas in 2021 -- but only if they're distributed by the studio Warner Bros. That means every Warner Bros. movie this year will be released both on HBO Max and in cinemas at the same time, including Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Dune and The Matrix 4 to come.
But it also means movies from any other studio won't.
This so-called hybrid release strategy for Warner Bros. and HBO Max is unprecedented, but it's also sparking some misguided hope among moviegoers when any new movie hits theaters. Without knowing the studio distributing that new flick, lots of people get curious that maybe it's one of the movies available on HBO Max too.
Warner Bros. movies have the direct pipeline to Max because HBO Max and Warner Bros. are both owned and operated by AT&T's WarnerMedia. They're siblings, essentially.
But it's worth noting that this hybrid strategy is unique to Warner Bros. and HBO. No other Hollywood studios are being this aggressive in putting this many movies (including megabudget blockbusters) on a streaming service immediately at no extra charge.
The hybrid release strategy is so aggressive, in fact, that WarnerMedia is ending it after 2021. Starting in 2022, Warner Bros. movies are expected to have a window of time exclusively in theaters before moving to other formats like online rentals and HBO Max. However, that theatrical window will be much shorter than it was before the pandemic.
Is The Forever Purge streaming on Max?
No. The Forever Purge is distributed by Universal, which is releasing it exclusively in theaters at first. But The Forever Purge is set to be on HBO Max eventually.
HBO has what's known as a pay-one licensing deal with Universal, which means HBO is the first place Universal's movies are shown on TV or streaming services. But Forever Purge won't reach HBO and HBO Max until after the film has already been available first in theaters, then as an online rental and finally on Blu-ray and DVD for sale. Typically, these pay-one movies tend to be released to streaming about nine months after theatrical release, but no date has been announced yet. Regardless, it means HBO Max is on track to get Forever Purge to stream first before any other services, likely late this year or sometime early next.
For now, though, The Forever Purge isn't streaming anywhere.
Is Boss Baby 2 on HBO Max?
Nope, but it's available to stream elsewhere. DreamWorks Animation, maker of the sequel, and streaming service Peacock are both owned by Comcast, which is making the movie available on Peacock now at the same time it's in theaters. It's on either of Peacock's premium, paid tiers, so either the $5- and $10-a-month tiers have The Boss Baby: Family Business available to stream at no added cost.
Anyone who watches Peacock on a free membership can't stream Boss Baby 2; you'll need to upgrade to a premium account.
Is Fast and Furious 9 on HBO Max?
No, not yet.
F9, also known as Fast 9 or Fast and Furious 9, is distributed by Universal. Like The Forever Purge, it's only available in theaters, but it's also set to stream on HBO Max eventually, though not until late this year or early next.
What about Zola and A Quiet Place Part 2? Are they on Max?
No, neither is streaming yet.
Zola is distributed by A24, a smaller studio. Zola was released this week but only in theaters. Earlier in the pandemic, A24 held virtual screenings online of its movie Minari, but it's unclear whether the company would resume the practice with cinemas reopened widely in the US.
A Quiet Place Part 2, the sequel to horror hit A Quiet Place, is distributed by Paramount Pictures, and it's only in theaters. But A Quiet Place Part 2 will be available on streaming service Paramount Plus 45 days after its theatrical release, which puts it on track to stream beginning July 12. That's much faster than theatrically released movies would've made it to a streaming service before the pandemic.
OK, so what new movies can I stream on HBO Max when they're in theaters?
All these titles will be available on HBO Max the same day they hit US theaters.
Generally, most of the new Warner Bros. movies become available to stream on Max at 12:01 a.m. PT/3:01 a.m. ET on the day of their release. But the timing for other movies may vary, depending on when the first cinematic screenings take place at theaters. Wonder Woman 1984, for example, became available at 9 a.m. PT/noon ET on Dec. 25 because that was the earliest theaters were open that day.
The movies will be available to stream on HBO Max for 31 days. They're generally expected to be removed from the service at 11:59 p.m. PT on that 31st day.
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See all photosForever Purge, Fast 9, Boss Baby 2 aren't streaming on HBO Max, sorry - CNET
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