In the battle for streaming supremacy, content is king, and WB Discovery’s Max streaming service just nabbed some content for the next several years that may be exactly what gets a lot of people to subscribe, or at least hold on to the service. HBO, Max, and A24 have made a deal that will give both the cable channel and the streaming platform first access to the studio’s films.
This is an extension of an existing licensing deal between HBO and A24, but one that ensures that A24 fans will want to have that Max subscription paid up to continue to get access to the studio’s popular content. Movies like Sofia Copola’s recent biopic Priscilla, the new Nicolas Cage film Dream Scenario, and Zac Efron’s The Iron Claw which is already getting significant awards season buzz, are included in the deal.
This is good news for A24 fans not only because new movies will be coming to HBO and Max but also because older films, like Uncut Gems and Everything Everywhere All At Once, will also arrive on the service. It also means the A24 films already on Max, including Hereditary, The Witch, and more, won’t be going anywhere for a while. Being able to count on the movies not disappearing is as important in modern streaming as getting new stuff. Even original programs created for Max and other streamers have been pulled from services in recent months.
A24 is still a small studio by just about any metric, but it has been able to develop a cult-like following, with many movie fans. Maybe only Disney has a similar following when it comes to the studio itself having specific fans dedicated to its output, though of course, A24 isn’t nearly as big. When A24 releases a new movie, especially one in the horror genre, fans stand up and take notice. The films are rarely massive blockbuster hits but the level of quality is undeniable, and the fact that the films tend to have smaller budgets makes it much easier for them to be successful.
While most streaming platforms have been focusing on their own original content in order to draw in subscribers, Max, especially since the merger with Discovery, has been much more willing to find content, and money, through licensing, and on both sides of the deal. The same month that WB Discovery inked a deal with A24, a bunch of DC movies arrived on Netflix. While it means the films are no longer exclusive, one assumes the licensing deal was worth making that trade for WB.
Exactly when the films will arrive on Max isn't clear. But A24 plans will have plenty of existing content to enjoy while they wait for everything else to be added.
