Wednesday, July 10, 2019
WarnerMedia Announces HBO Max for 2020 with Friends, Fresh Prince & More; IMDb Gets First Scripted Series

WarnerMedia unveiled HBO Max as the name of its new streaming service, which will offer an impressive direct-to-consumer experience for everyone ranging from families with young children to adults of all ages. Anchored with and inspired by the legacy of HBO's excellence and award-winning storytelling, the new service will be "Maximized" with an extensive collection of exclusive original programming (Max Originals) and the best-of-the-best from WarnerMedia's enormous portfolio of beloved brands and libraries. New deals with Warner Bros. Television and others for HBO Max announced today include:
· The exclusive streaming rights at launch to all 236 episodes of Friends - one of the biggest hits on television and in streaming
· The exclusive streaming rights at launch to all episodes of fan favorites The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Pretty Little Liars
· The exclusive streaming home to a string of new Warner Bros.' produced dramas for The CW beginning with the fall 2019 season, including the highly-anticipated new DC Entertainment series Batwoman, and Katy Keene (spinoff of Riverdale)
· New exclusive movie production deals with Greg Berlanti, one of Hollywood's most prolific and successful producers, and Reese Witherspoon, Academy Award(R) and Emmy Award(R)-winning actress and producer; Berlanti will produce an initial four movies focused in the young adult space, while Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine will produce at least two films
HBO Max, scheduled to launch commercially in spring of 2020, is anticipated to premiere with 10,000 hours of premium content. Max Original series previously announced include: Dune: The Sisterhood, an adaptation of Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson's book based in the world created by Frank Herbert's book Dune, from director Denis Villeneuve; Tokyo Vice, based on Jake Adelstein's non-fiction first-hand account of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police beat starring Ansel Elgort; The Flight Attendant, a one-hour thriller series based on the novel by Chris Bohjalian, which will star Kaley Cuoco, who is also executive producing alongside Greg Berlanti; Love Life, a 10-episode half-hour romantic comedy anthology series starring Anna Kendrick, who will also executive produce alongside Paul Feig; Station Eleven, a postapocalyptic limited series based on Emily St. John Mandel's international bestseller, adapted by Patrick Somerville and directed by Hiro Murai; Made for Love, a 10-episode, half-hour, straight-to-series adaptation based on the tragicomic novel of the same name by Alissa Nutting, also from Somerville and directed by S.J. Clarkson; Gremlins, an animated series from Warner Bros. Animation and Amblin Entertainment based on the original movie.
Highlights of HBO programming previously announced for 2020 and 2021 include Stephen King's The Outsider, a dark mystery starring Ben Mendelsohn, produced and directed by Jason Bateman; Lovecraft Country, a unique horror series based on a novel by Matt Ruff, written and executive produced by Misha Green, and executive produced by Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams; The Nevers, Joss Whedon's new science fiction series starring Laura Donnelly; The Gilded Age," the opulent world of 1885 New York from Julian Fellowes; Avenue 5, high satire aboard a space-bound cruise ship from Armando Iannucci, starring Hugh Laurie and Josh Gad; The Undoing, a psychological thriller from David E. Kelley, directed by Susanne Bier starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant; The Plot Against America, reimagined history based on Phillip Roth's novel written and executive produced by David Simon and Ed Burns, starring Winona Ryder and John Turturro; Perry Mason, the classic legal drama for a new generation, executive produced by Robert Downey, Jr. and Susan Downey, with Matthew Rhys in the title role; I Know This Much Is True, a complex family drama starring Mark Ruffalo playing twin brothers, one of whom has schizophrenia, based on the best-selling novel by Wally Lamb, written and directed by Derek Cianfrance.

IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content, announced its first-ever animated comedy series: You're Not a Monster (www.imdb.com/monster). Fans will get a sneak peek of the 10-episode, short-form series when its trailer premieres on the IMDboat at Comic-Con International: San Diego later this month, and full episodes will premiere this fall. The show joins other IMDb original series now airing including The IMDb Show, IMDbrief and Casting Calls.
You're Not a Monster demonstrates that even classic movie monsters have emotional issues - because the only thing worse than being undead is being unloved. Returning to the "therapist's chair" for the first time since Frasier, Kelsey Grammer voices a former psychiatrist-turned-vampire in the series, who mentors his great-great grandson "Max" (Eric Stonestreet), a therapist who has inherited his practice. In each 4 to 5 minute episode, Max treats classic monsters including Frankenstein, The Invisible Man and Medusa as they seek desperately needed therapeutic help. Rounding out the series cast is Aparna Nancherla as a demon receptionist, Ellie Kemper as a therapist who thinks Max is imagining everything, and Peter Grosz, Langston Kerman, Joel Kim Booster, Patton Oswalt, Adam Pally, Amber Ruffin, Amy Sedaris and Milana Vayntrub as hideous monsters. Show creators and cast members including Grammer and Nancherla will participate in an exclusive interview with host Kevin Smith on the IMDboat at San Diego Comic-Con on July 20.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, December 24
Ghosts - "The Owl" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Sam, Jay and the remaining ghosts unravel the mystery of which ghost passed into the afterlife. Also, Sam and Jay must relocate an owl in order to do construction on the barn to turn it into Jay’s restaurant.
Ghosts - "Holes Are Bad" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Sam and Jay leave the ghosts home alone for the weekend in an attempt to have a romantic getaway, shocking revelations are made about two of Woodstone’s beloved spirits.
Ghosts - "Halloween 4: The Witch" (CBS, 10:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The ghosts, seeking some excitement during a low-key Halloween, join Patience (Mary Holland) in putting Sam on a witch trial.
Ghosts - "I Know What You Did Thirty-Seven Summers Ago" (CBS, 10:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Sam and Jay host a fundraiser for the mayor to earn a favor for Jay’s restaurant, they learn of his bizarre connection to one of Woodstone’s ghosts.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 22)
Wednesday, December 24
- Hugh Jackman (Human Resources) - Watch Hugh on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) - THE LATE SHOW Presents: "Colbert's Canceled Christmas: The Last Noel", narrated by Nick on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- John Stamos (Palm Royale/UnPrisoned/Fuller House/Grandfathered/Jake in Progress/Full House/You, Again?) - John talks about Palm Royale on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly/Crowded/Drake & Josh) - Miranda joins Drew to talk about her latest rom-com The Wrong Paris on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia talks about Apple TV's Your Friends & Neighbors on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Vivica A. Fox (Mr. Box Office/Getting Personal/Arsenio/Out All Night) - Vivica talks about UPtv's A Christmas Murder Mystery on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Margaret Colin (Veep/Sibs/Leg Work/Foley Square) - Margaret is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:10am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series (DVD)
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two (DVD)
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season (DVD)
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2 (DVD)
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
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