HBO Max Rebrands to “Max,” Announces Harry Potter TV Series, New Game of Thrones Prequel, Plus Trailers for Penguin, True Detective and More

For everyone who thought that HBO Max was a strange name for a streaming services that was, in fact, so much than just HBO, CEO David Zaslav wants you to hold his beer. WarnerMedia announced today that HBO Max, which will now be folded in with Discovery+ (which will still remain its own service…) will be rebranded as “Max,” even though HBO was the marquee acquisition that WB wanted to show off. And yet, that aside, consider that Warner Brothers itself has literally been around for 100 years, with brand recognition and public favor that you cannot buy or manufacture, and its streaming service is now going to be called… Max. It’s incredible, really.

Current subscribers to HBO Max will see no change to their accounts, only new logos. “Max” will launch May 23, and will cost $15.99 a month ($149.99/year) for the ad-free version and $9.99 per month ($99.99/year) for the ad-supported tier. A third “ultimate” ad-free version with 4K UHD resolution, 100 offline downloads and Dolby Atmos sound will be available for $19.99 a month ($199.99/year).

In addition to this news, “Max” (I can’t get over it) also dumped a ton of trailers and projects to keep us excited about their future prospects even though the entire entity feels like it’s a complete mess from top to bottom. But hey, a Penguin series! You can see more about that, as well as a new teaser for the latest season of True Detective, more information about the Game of Thrones prequel, a Harry Potter series, news of a Big Bang Theory project, and more of this IP bonanza from a cavalcade of press releases below.

The Penguin

Starring Colin Farrell as The Penguin, the eight-episode DC Studios drama series (currently in production) continues The Batman epic crime saga that filmmaker Matt Reeves began with Warner Bros. Pictures’ global blockbuster “The Batman,” and centers on the character played by Farrell in the film. The previously announced cast includes Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Deirdre O’Connell, with Clancy Brown and Michael Zegen recurring.

The series is executive produced by Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, Colin Farrell, Lauren LeFranc, who writes and serves as showrunner, Craig Zobel, who directs the first three episodes, and Bill Carraro. Based on characters created for DC by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, THE PENGUIN is produced by Reeves’ 6th & Idaho Productions and Dylan Clark Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, where Reeves and 6th & Idaho are under an overall deal. 6th & Idaho’s Daniel Pipski also serves as executive producer and Rafi Crohn is co-executive producer.

True Detective: Night Country

When the long winter night falls in Ennis, Alaska, the eight men who operate the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish without a trace. To solve the case, Detectives Liz Danvers (Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Reis) will have to confront the darkness they carry in themselves, and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice.

True Detective: Night Country stars Jodie Foster, Kali Reis, Fiona Shaw, Finn Bennett, Isabella Star Lablanc, Aka Niviâna, Anna Lambe, and Joel D. Montgrand with Christopher Eccleston, and John Hawkes. Issa López serves as showrunner and writer and directs all episodes.

Showrunner, writer, director, executive producer, Issa López; star and executive producer, Jodie Foster. Executive Producers: Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski, and Mark Ceryak for PASTEL; Mari Jo Winkler; Chris Mundy; Alan Page Arriaga; Steve Golin; Richard Brown; Woody Harrelson; Matthew McConaughey; Cary Joji Fukunaga; Nic Pizzolatto. Producers: Princess Daazhraii Johnson; Cathy Tagnak Rexford; Sam Breckman.

The Regime

Limited series The Regime (formerly known by its working title “The Palace”), stars Academy Award-winner Kate Winslet, directed by Stephen Frears and Jessica Hobbs, and written by Will Tracy. The series tells the story of one year within the walls of the palace of a modern European regime as it begins to unravel.

Joining the previously announced cast of Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne, Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton and Hugh Grant, the newly announced cast members include Danny Webb, David Bamber, Henry Goodman, Stanley Townsend, Louie Mynett, Rory Keenan, Karl Markovics, and Pippa Haywood.

Will Tracy serves as writer, executive producer, and showrunner. Executive producers are Winslet, Frears, Frank Rich, and Tracey Seaward. Hobbs serves as co-executive producer and writers are Seth Reiss, Juli Weiner, Jen Spyra, Gary Shteyngart, and Sarah DeLappe.

The Sympathizer

Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Sympathizer is an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his resulting exile in the United States.

Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar co-showrun and executive produce the series. The new footage introduces the cast led by Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Ky Duyen, and Sandra Oh and reveals star and executive producer Robert Downey Jr., who plays multiple roles.

Co-showrunner, executive producer, writer, and director (episodes 1-3), Park Chan-wook; co-showrunner, executive producer, and writer, Don McKellar; executive producer, A24; executive producer and star, Robert Downey Jr., executive producer, Susan Downey, executive producer, Amanda Burrell for Team Downey; executive producer, Kim Ly; executive producer, Niv Fichman for Rhombus Media; executive producer, Ron Schmidt; executive producer and author of book, Viet Thanh Nguyen; executive producer, Jisun Back for Moho Film. Directors: Fernando Meirelles (episode 4), Marc Munden (episodes 5-7). Writers: Mark Richard, Naomi Iizuka, Maegan Houang, Anchuli Felicia King, Tea Ho. The Sympathizer is a Co-Production between HBO, A24, and Rhombus Media, produced in association with Cinetic Media and Moho Film.

Harry Potter TV Series in the Works

Max has ordered an original “Harry Potter” scripted television series, it was confirmed today during Warner Bros. Discovery’s unveiling of the Max streaming service on the Warner Bros. lot in Los Angeles. The series will be a faithful adaptation of the beloved “Harry Potter” book series by author and executive producer, J.K. Rowling. From Warner Bros. Television, the new Max Original series will be available on Max in (US) and globally once produced.

The stories from each of Rowling’s Harry Potter books will become a decade-long series produced with the same epic craft, love and care this global franchise is known for.  The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail, much loved characters and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for over twenty-five years.  Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.

“We are delighted to give audiences the opportunity to discover Hogwarts in a whole new way,” said Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO & Max Content. “Harry Potter is a cultural phenomenon and it is clear there is such an enduring love and thirst for the Wizarding World. In partnership with Warner Bros. Television and J.K. Rowling, this new Max Original series will dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years.”

“Max’s commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me, and I’m looking forward to being part of this new adaptation which will allow for a degree of depth and detail only afforded by a long form television series,” said J.K. Rowling.

Max in association with Brontë Film and TV, and Warner Bros. Television. Executive produced by J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts. David Heyman is currently in talks to executive produce.

Game of Thrones Prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight Announced

HBO has given a series order to drama series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight. The Game of Thrones prequel series will be written and executive produced by George R.R. Martin and Ira Parker. Ryan Condal and Vince Gerardis will also executive produce.

A century before the events of Game of Thrones, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros… a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends.

George R.R. Martin will serve as writer/executive producer, Ira Parker will serve as writer/executive producer. Ryan Condal and Vince Gerardis will serve as executive producers.

Gremlins: Secrets of Mogwai

Gremlins: Secrets of Mogwai takes viewers back to 1920s Shanghai where the Wing family first meets the young Mogwai called Gizmo. Sam Wing (future shop owner Mr. Wing in the 1984 “Gremlins” film) accepts the dangerous task to take Gizmo home and embarks on a journey through the Chinese countryside. Sam and Gizmo are joined by a teenage street thief named Elle, and together, they encounter—and sometimes battle—colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore. Along their quest, they are pursued by a power-hungry industrialist and his growing army of evil Gremlins.

The all-star voice cast includes Ming-Na Wen, James Hong, BD Wong, Matthew Rhys, Izaac Wang, AJ LoCascio, Gabrielle Nevaeh Green. The series will also feature notable guest stars including Zach Galligan who starred as the hero “Billy Peltzer” in Amblin’s original “Gremlins” films. Additional guest voices include Sandra Oh, Randall Park, George Takei, and Bowen Yang.

Gremlins: Secrets of Mogwai will premiere May 23rd on Max, and is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. Steven Spielberg serves as executive producer, along with Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, Presidents of Amblin Television, and Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. Tze Chun serves as showrunner and executive producer. Brendan Hay serves as executive producer with Dan Krall serving as Supervising Producer. Joe Dante serves as consulting producer.