Warner Bros Discovery is allowing a few of its TV shows from its HBO pay cable network to be streamed on Netflix in the US. The new move is likely a way for Warner Bros Discovery to get some additional revenues.
Netflix confirmed on its Twitter page that starting today, all five seasons of the HBO comedy Insecure are now available to stream on its service.
All five seasons of Issa Rae"s Peabody and NAACP award winning series Insecure are now on Netflix! pic.twitter.com/6hpNcw4ja2
— Netflix (@netflix) July 3, 2023
In addition, Deadline reports that in the coming weeks, more HBO shows will be added to Netflix. They will include the WWII dramas Band of Brothers and The Pacific, the classic drama Six Feet Under, and the more recent sports-themed comedy Ballers starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. In addition, the supernatural drama True Blood will be available on Netflix outside the US.
All of these shows will continue to be available to stream on Warner Bros Discovery"s recently relaunched streaming service Max (formerly HBO Max). It"s unknown how much Netflix is paying to add these HBO shows to its service, and it"s also not known how long they will remain on Netflix.
Before its relaunch, Max removed a number of its original TV shows, movies, and specials from its service, so it could save money by not paying residuals to its creators. Many of those shows and movies are still available via digital download stores, and some are also available now on free streaming services like Tubi and The Roku Channel.
This new arrangement with Netflix shows that some studios, who once raced to launch their own services so they could keep all of their own content under one roof, are now realizing that may not be the best business model. We could see even more cross-service shows pop up in the future if this works out.