CNBC: HBO Max is under new management, and fans are worried about the fate of shows like ‘Hacks’, ‘Peacemaker’ and ‘South Side’

Story from CNBC:

Fans of popular HBO Max original shows and movies are anxiously awaiting to hear their fate as rumors swirl that major changes are underway at the streaming service.

Ever since HBO Max parent company WarnerMedia merged with Discovery earlier this year to become Warner Bros. Discovery, industry watchers have speculated that CEO David Zaslav will look to combine Discovery+ and HBO Max into a single streaming platform.

The shake-up will likely result in a massive downsizing of HBO Max, according to a report from The Wrap, so as to reduce redundancies between the production teams for HBO Max originals and flagship HBO properties.

Fans first began sounding the alarm this week when Warner Bros. announced that it was scrapping its HBO Max original film “Batgirl”, despite filming already being complete. The move is a part of cost cutting measures for Warner Bros. Discovery, which under Zaslav is pivoting its focus to theatrical releases.

Scrapping releases and scrubbing originals from the service will help the company in the form of tax breaks, IndieWire reports. Fans of the service, which is considered by many to have the strongest library of any streamer, have been vocal with their opposition to the rumored moves. Tweets criticizing the corporate shake-up have collected tens of thousands of likes in recent days.

But the fate of shows like “Hacks”, “The Sex Lives of College Girls” and “FBoy Island” aren’t sealed just yet. Zaslav is expected to reveal more details about his plans for HBO Max on Thursday when Warner Bros. Discovery holds its quarterly earnings call.

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