HBO Max’s Day And Date Release Strategy Lands More Subscribers Than Expected
By Movieguide® Staff
HBO and its streaming service, HBO Max, reported better-than-expected subscriber numbers by the end of 2021.
The two platforms totaled 73.8 million global subscribers, just ahead of the company projections for 70 million to 73 million.
WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar said that 2021 was “the year that HBO Max broke through.”
HBO Max and Warner Bros. shocked the cinematic world when they announced their plan to release blockbuster movies in both theaters and on the streaming service.
Movieguide® previously reported:
All of Warner Bros. 2021 movies will see a “distribution model in which Warner Bros. will continue to exhibit the films theatrically worldwide, while adding an exclusive one month access period on the HBO Max streaming platform in the U.S. concurrent with the film’s domestic release.”
“We’re living in unprecedented times which call for creative solutions, including this new initiative for the Warner Bros. Pictures Group,” WarnerMedia Chair and CEO Ann Sarnoff said in a statement. “No one wants films back on the big screen more than we do. We know new content is the lifeblood of theatrical exhibition, but we have to balance this with the reality that most theaters in the U.S. will likely operate at reduced capacity throughout 2021.”
HBO Max, which customers received for free with a standard HBO subscription, is now in 46 countries. While the deal between HBO and WarnerMedia sparked controversy in 2020, 2021’s numbers show the clear benefit to HBO Max.
Deadline reported:
The streaming service has benefited from day-and-date film releases from Warner Bros, particularly fourth-quarter releases of Dune and the fourth Matrix installment. Introduced as a pandemic measure, the release pattern is not expected to stay in effect, but it has helped onboard a number of new subscribers. Asked about movie windows, Kilar said the plan is to adopt a “film-specific” release strategy, with certain films going to theaters and streaming simultaneously and others in an exclusive theatrical window.
- Content: +2Share:
- Content: +4