HBO Max Removing Nearly 40 Titles This Month

HBO Max is dropping nearly 40 shows from its streaming service, and a large majority are animation projects. Not surprisingly, a lot of animators are taking issue with this. For whatever reason, it seems like streaming services have some kind of issue with animation. Whenever shows are on the chopping block, it appears that animated programs are often the first to go.

Hulu recently received a lot of backlash for removing tons of anime titles. When Netflix realized they had a massive drop in subscribers, what was the first thing that left the service? Animated shows. In Netflix’s case, the impetus was slightly different, but the same attitude drove the decision. Animation is expensive, and it’s really not taken seriously as art. There’s still a stigma surrounding animation. There’s a misconception that it’s somehow only for children… Even though tons of people tune in for new episodes of adult animation every week.

HBO’s official statement on the move to drop dozens of titles from its library is as follows:

As we work toward bringing our content catalogs together under one platform, we will be making changes to the content offering available on both HBO Max and discovery+. That will include the removal of some content from both platforms.

Of course, one could only expect that some content would leave both platforms before they create a hybrid streaming service, but why? A lot of these shows have only ever existed in the streaming age. That means you can’t go out and buy them on DVD, and many haven’t received official digital releases either. That means that tons of HBO Max originals will essentially become lost until HBO decides it’s time to put them out again.

Tons of animators have weighed in on the issue, expressing heartbreak. Marie Lum worked on Aquaman: King Of Atlantis, and Infinity Train. She recently tweeted imploring fans to watch her shows before they leave the service, likely forever.

JG Quintel, the creator of both Regular Show and Close Enough also made a post confirming that the latter was cancelled after just 3 seasons.

Outside of creators themselves, tons of fans are also grieving the loss of a lot of their favorite shows. People are panicking because they know that they’ll likely have no access to HBO Max originals they’ve fallen in love with. There is always the chance that some of these shows get sold to other streaming services, but it’s not particularly likely.

The list of titles being cut from HBO Max is as follows:

• 12 Dates of Christmas
• About Last Night
• Aquaman: King of Atlantis
• Close Enough
• Ellen’s Next Great Designer
• Esme & Roy
• The Fungies!
• Generation Hustle
• Genera+ion
• Infinity Train
• Little Ellen
• My Mom, Your Dad
• Odo
• Ravi Patel’s Pursuit of Happiness

• Summer Camp Island
• The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo
• The Runaway Bunny
• Theodosia
• Tig n’ Seek
• Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs
• My Dinner with Herve
• Share
• Dodo
• Elliott From Earth
• Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart
• Mighty Magiswords
• OK K.O.! – Let’s Be Heroes
• Uncle Grandpa
• Victor and Valentino
• Detention Adventure
• Messy Goes to Okido
• Mia’s Magic Playground
• The Ollie & Moon Show
• Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures
• Make It Big, Make It Small
• Squish