Aug 18, 2022

HBO Max to Cut Dozens of Animated Series from Service Without Notice

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) reluctantly announced this week that it is removing a large number of titles from its HBO Max streaming service. The company has not given a logical reason as to why it is removing its catalog of animated titles.

In total, there are 37 titles, 25 of which are animated, including Max originals. Below are all the animated titles that will be removed from the service:

In a brief release, WBD explains:

In order to consolidate the content catalog onto one platform, both HBO Max and discovery+ available changes will be made to the content. This includes removing some content from both platforms.

At the same time, we have already begun integrating our content catalog, like the launch of the new CNN Originals Hub on discovery+ and the curated collection of Magnolia Network content coming soon to HBO Max.

No further details were given as to why these particular titles were cut or future plans for the deleted series; Cartoon Brew reached out to WBD for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

There is speculation that Warner may auction off some shows to other platforms. Zaslav hinted at the possibility during Warner Bros. Discovery's Q2 earnings call, saying, "Some of the content we produce will be distributed on our platform.... Some of it will be distributed on other platforms..."

He explained that, regardless of Warner's long-term plans for the deleted series, some of these titles will be difficult to access legally via streaming or linear broadcast, at least for now. Warner has not clarified whether the programs available to HBO subscribers on demand will still be available after they are removed from Max.

Understandably, artists involved with these programs are upset.

"Summer Camp Island" was one of the most surprising deletions, given the show's cult following and the fact that the completed sixth and final season is in limbo. Creator Julia Potts tweeted:

We worked for five years to make 100 episodes of animation. We were a family of hardworking artists who worked late into the night and wanted to let ourselves go and create something beautiful. Animation is not nothing! We worked through the pandemic and created 20 of the most beautiful linear episodes ever. We can't wait for you all to see them. Make sure you watch it! I will not rest!

Aaron Burdette, writer and co-executive producer of "Close Enough," posted these thoughts about the cut: [It's very good to see that TV show scripts are now building sandcastles at high tide.

"Infinity Train" creator Owen Dennis updated his Twitter profile with a tongue-in-cheek suggestion for how fans might be able to watch the show in the future:

Pulled from @HBOMax, creators of #InfinityTrain, a show now only available in pirated form.

Creators of other shows have also taken notice of the situation and expressed disapproval of HBO Max's sloppy approach to removing content from their library; Hamish Steele, creator of Netflix's "Dead End," said of "Paranormal Park" Tweeted: Hamish Steele, creator of "Paranormal Park," tweeted about the fear of erasure that is increasingly common among artists in the industry today: [What is happening at HBO Max is very scary from a creator's perspective It is. As you make a show for streaming, there is little chance of physical release or broadcast anywhere else!

Pictured above: "Close Enough", "Summer Camp Island", "Infinity Train"