iWorld
HBO Max streaming service to be available on Google devices at launch
MUMBAI: WarnerMedia, a division of AT&T Inc., has announced that its anticipated streaming platform HBO Max will be available across Google platforms and devices and on Google Play when it launches on 27 May, 2020, adding seamless availability to US customers across Android phones and tablets, Android TV devices, and Chromebooks. HBO Max subscribers will also be able to stream their favourite shows and movies via Google Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices. At launch, current HBO NOW subscribers on Google Play will be able to log in and access the HBO Max app at no additional charge. New HBO Max customers will be able to subscribe directly in the app.
“The availability of HBO Max across Android, Android TV, Chromebook and Google Chromecast devices and on Google Play adds to our growing list of distribution options that will be offered to customers at launch,” said Rich Warren, president of WarnerMedia Distribution. “We’re pleased to make HBO Max available to the significant base of customers who access content across Google’s platforms and devices.”
HBO Max is WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer offering debuting 27 May, 2020 with 10,000 hours of curated content and a programming slate that will offer something for everyone in the home. Anchored by the entire HBO service, the platform will also include an exciting slate of new original series, fan-favourite series and films from across WarnerMedia’s rich library and key third-party licensed programmes and movies.
The company recently announced its day one programming slate, which includes six all-new Max Originals – Love Life, On the Record, Legendary, Craftopia, Looney Toons Cartoons and The Not Too Late Show with Elmo – plus an extensive lineup of library and acquired programming including: Friends; The Big Bang Theory; Doctor Who; Rick and Morty; The Boondocks; The Bachelor; Sesame Street; The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; CW shows such as Batwoman, Nancy Drew, and Katy Keene; the first season of DC’s Doom Patrol; The O.C.; Pretty Little Liars; the CNN catalogue of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown; and much more. Soon after, the platform offering will continue to grow, adding the libraries of South Park, Gossip Girl, The West Wing, and more within the first year of launch In addition to series, specials, and docs, HBO Max will feature a rich library of more than 2,000 feature films within the first year, including such classics as Casablanca, The Wizard of Oz and The Lord of the Rings, every DC film from the last decade, and the revered films from Japan’s legendary Studio Ghibli animation house.
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iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
