HBO Max gets a revamp; announces new slate that includes ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel, ‘The Big Bang Theory’ spin-off and ‘The Conjuring’ series

A still from the motion poster of the new ‘GoT’ prequel
| Photo Credit: @hbomax/Twitter

Warner Brothers Discovery has announced that HBO Max, which is currently unavailable in India, will become Max from May 23 and the announcement came with a new slate of shows and films. 

According to reports, the new streaming platform will stream content from in the US followed by a launch in Latin America. The rest of the markets, such as Europe and Asia will apparently get access to the streamer from next year. 

One of the biggest titles the streamer will be coming up with is  The Game of Thrones prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight which will be executive-produced by George RR Martin, Ira Parker, Ryan Condal and Vince Gerardis. Said to be set a century before the events of Game of Thrones, the new series will be based on Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg. A motion poster was also released by the makers. 

Max has also ordered an original Harry Potter scripted television series. Featuring an entirely new cast, the series will be based on one of the books in the franchise by JK Rowling, who will serve as executive producer.

The in-production teaser of Colin Farrell’s The Penguin, the spin-off series focusing on the character from the 2022 film The Batman was also released. The eight-episode series will also star Cristin Milioti as Carmine’s daughter Sofia Falcone; Michael Zegen as Carmine’s son Alberto Falcone; and Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni. 

It was also announced that a new Big Bang Theory spin-off is in development. Chuck Lorre, who co-created The Big Bang Theory as well as its spinoff Young Sheldon, will be developing the new comedy series which is expected to have a new cast. The Conjuring is also coming to the small screen as a series based on New Line Cinema’s horror film universe is in the making.

The trailers for Jodie Foster’s True Detective: Night Country, Kate Winslet’s The Regime, and Robert Downey Jr. The Sympathizer were also unveiled.  True Detective: Night Country is a Nic Pizzolatto’s anthology series starring Kali Reis with Foster. 

After Mildred Pierce and Mare of Easttown, Winslet is back to HBO with The Regime. Said to be a political thriller the cast also includes Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne, Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton, Hugh Grant, Danny Webb, David Bamber, Henry Goodman, Stanley Townsend, Louie Mynett, Rory Keenan, Karl Markovics and Pippa Haywood. The series is directed by Stephen Frears and Jessica Hobbs. 

The Sympathizer features Robert Downey Jr. as a spy and the series, based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, is all set to stream in 2024. Park Chan-wook serves as co-showrunner, executive producer, writer and director. The series stars Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Vy Le, Alan Trong, Vy Le, Ky Duyen and Sandra Oh.

While HBO Max isn’t available in India, it’s unclear whether the streamer will soon be launched here or if the content would be made available on already-existing OTT platforms.