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For most of 2020, things were not looking particularly great for HBO Max.
And then just like that,Project Popcornpopped into the picture.
It also changed the subject from HBO Max, struggling streamer to HBO Max, disrupter.
HBOsMare of Eassttowndropped in April and quickly became a cultural phenom.
Not everything has been roses for HBO Max in 2021.
(Netflix crushed the pay TV pioneer.)
Youve been overseeing at HBO Max since late summer 2020.
Whats your how it started versus how its going on your first year in the new role?
That was a great way to start off and a great way to show what we could do.
In general, the idea is to broaden out from HBO.
The most obvious example of that is reality television.
Really fun, somewhat cheeky shows are a place that HBO didnt typically go.
Something likeHackscould easily be an HBO show.Euphoriafeels like something that couldve come from Max.
But it sounds like you still do draw a line between the two.
There is a difference.
HBO Max is the platform, and HBO, the programming service, is within that.
So I give a shot to describe HBO Max as kind of our own cable bundle.
It has a lot of different things.
Well, thats certainly part of it, always.
There have been two big studio movies.
So its become, I think, a little bit bigger than the show on HBO.
Its been out in the world off of HBO for a long time.
But it is an important distinction to make just reiterating that HBO continues to do what its always done.
Lets talk about some specific titles.And Just Like That …comes out next week.
Is it a safe assumption that youre already gearing up for a season 2?
To tell you the truth, it would be a conversation, because I have no idea.
They kind of came together to do this.
They were all really busy and doing other things.
So it is certainly a conversation well have for sure.
But we havent decided anything or done anything.
Having seen episodes, would you like to have another season?
I will tell you, its kind of what you want in a show like this.
It really does feel like youre picking up with old friends and havent missed a beat.
Do they want to do something?
And with David Chase, I dont know where he is in terms of conversations with another movie.
I do think that revisiting the Sopranos family is probably unlikely.
But is there another movie in that universe?
I honestly dont know where he is in those conversations with Warner Bros. at the moment.
It was just a great steady source of movies that people loved.
But what came out of all of this is a 45-day theatrical window.
So youre going from eight months to 45 days.
That, to me, seems like a really great situation.
Well see how it goes.
Or are they going to have to go on other platforms first, like premium rental or digital sales?
No, thats what were doing.
For Warner Bros., its 45 days.
Is the shortened window for Warner Bros. movies enough to make up for that?
Is that not in the cards?
We still have HBO Films, usually just for Emmy play.
Thats slightly different from what were talking about with the Warner Bros. output.
But well look to Warner Bros. for the direct-to-Max output.
Im not looking to have another label doing movies.
Lets talk about your 2021 slate.House of the Dragonis obviously the big gun.
Is production already wrapped?
And how much of it have you seen?
No, production is not wrapped.
I was there last week visitingRyan Condal and Miguel Sapochnikon the set.
Ive seen enough to feel very good and very happy.
Youve already saidDragonwill come out in 2022, but can you get more specific about the date?
Or at least maybe rule out debuting the same week or month asLOTR?
Im not too worried about what anybody else is doing at this point.
The way that we have approachedGame of Thronesis wanting to get it right.
So we certainly have other things in development and things that we feel good about.
But right now, the only thing that is green-lit and coming isHouse of the Dragon.
So youre not going to go full Marvel anytime soon?
I mean, look, if we end up who knows?
It really depends on how good the scripts are.
Whats the latest from the wizarding world?
There are no updates on it.
Like we talked about, the IP that world is really exciting, and people love it.
It would be wonderful to do that.
But there is nothing no series to report.
When there is, I will let you know.
But nothing to report on that.
Does that inspire you to want to up your output of international content even more than you have already?
HBO has been producing shows internationally for 20 years.
Weve just not done a great job highlighting those shows.
Part of that is because HBO historically was set up differently in different territories.
In the U.K., it is distributed by Sky.
In Canada, its Bell Media.
In Spain, we had our own service.
So it was really a patchwork around the world.
Were trying to be much better about that.
Each territory has a library and has been producing local content and will continue to do that.
But now it will be for HBO Max as opposed to whatever HBO affiliate they were doing it for.
Might we see more international content green-lit, or will you just do a better job promoting that output?
Are you considering revealing more precise data about how programs perform on streaming?
You want to know something interesting?
Ten percent was from on demand.
Now, 50 percent of viewing comes from linear.
The rest of it, the majority, comes from HBO Max.
All the more reason to give out those numbers!
People watch it throughout the week, people watch it on demand.
People are watching things in a much different way.
So I saw how numbers could be misreported and misused.
Im kind of enjoying the anonymity that comes with streaming.
Youre not eager to make more data available then.
Im not necessarily rushing to it.
But for now, Im going to enjoy not having to parse numbers every day.
Where do you want HBO Max to be at the end of 2022?
All of the above.
Were firing on all cylinders on HBO Max.
Because were all in this race to end up as one of the top streaming services.
It is a race.
Not everybodys going to survive, and my hope is that our programming makes us one of the must-haves.
Getting together with Discovery Networks would surely help on that front, right?
It would bring a ton of content to Max.
I know you have to love all your kids equally.
Well, youre right.
And Sarah is just phenomenal as Julia Child.
Its a really well done and great show.
I remember seeing the press release for that and being very psyched for thatFrasierreunion.
When should we expectJulia?
Just in time for Emmy season!
I dont even want to think about the Emmy races next year.
Its going to be brutal with so much across all the platforms.
We haveWhite Lotus,Succession, the final season ofInsecure,Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Weve gotFlight Attendantcoming back.
Weve got new shows likeJulia.So whatever happens, Im excited to have this showing.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
