iWorld
Fifteen new HBO Max originals coming to Warner Media platforms in Asia
MUMBAI: With the launch of HBO Max in the United States on May 27, Warner Media has confirmed that a first wave of at least 15 HBO Max Originals will land on HBO GO and channels in Asia in 2020.
Most shows will be available first on HBO GO, such as The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo and Love Life where three episodes of each have already dropped on May 27. Premiere dates for other titles and those across HBO, Warner TV, Cartoon Network and Boomerang channels are still to be confirmed.
The programming slate, specially curated to suit the taste of Asian audiences, includes drama series, documentaries, movies and kids shows. The content is sourced from studios and distributors including Lionsgate, Paramount, Warner Bros. and Sesame Workshop.
Talent includes household names like Ridley Scott, Meryl Streep, Kaley Cuoco, Lena Dunham, Anna Kendrick, Steven Soderbergh, Melissa McCarthy, Ray Romano, James Corden and of course Elmo and the Sesame Street gang.
The titles include:
Comedy & drama series
Love Life
Anna Kendrick stars in this anthology romantic comedy series about the journey from first love to last love, and how the people we’re with along the way make us into who we are when we finally end up with someone forever.
Watch the trailer:
Raised by Wolves
From the mind of Ridley Scott, Raised by Wolves centres upon two androids tasked with raising human children on a mysterious virgin planet.
Flight Attendant
Starring Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory), a flight attendant awakens in a Dubai hotel room to find her one-night-stand dead beside her. Could she have killed him? And, if not, who did?
Doom Patrol (S2)
The critically acclaimed DC series features a band of superpowered freaks, part support group, part superhero team, who fight for a world that wants nothing to do with them.
Made for Love
A series adaptation based on the tragicomic novel of the same name. Starring Cristin Milioti and Ray Romano, Made for Love is a dark, absurd and cynically poignant story of divorce and revenge.
Generation
Executive produced by Lena Dunham and Ben Barnz, Generation is a dark yet playful half-hour following a group of high school students. It tests deeply-entrenched beliefs about life, love and the nature of family in their conservative community.
KIDS & FAMILY:
The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo
Sesame Street’s Elmo is the host of his very own talk show! He’s going to bring you some (not-too-late) fun with an all-new celeb-studded series that celebrates bedtime routines. Guests include Lil Nas X, the Jonas Brothers, Ciara, Blake Lively, Sofia Carson, John Mulaney, Olivia Wilde and John Oliver.
Watch the trailer:
Looney Tunes Cartoons
An all-new series featuring the marquee characters in their classic pairings in simple, gag-driven and visually vibrant stories.
The Fungies!
A prehistoric comedy cartoon, The Fungies! explores Fungietown through the whimsical quests of Seth, a young student at Fungietown Elementary.
Adventure Time: Distant Lands
These four new specials will continue the Adventure Time stories that captured imaginations and introduced unlikely heroes Finn and Jake, best buds who traversed the mystical Land of Ooo and encountered its colourful inhabitants.
Sesame Street
For 50 years, Sesame Street has helped kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, offering preschoolers and their families the gold standard in educational children’s programming.
Sesame Street: The Monster at the End of the Book
Starring lovable, furry Grover from Sesame Street, The Monster at the End of This Story is a new animated special based on the acclaimed children’s picture book.
FILMS:
UNpregnant
The film tells the story of 17-year-old Veronica, who never thought she’d want to fail a test – that is, until she finds herself staring at a piece of plastic with two solid pink lines. The Greg Berlanti-production offers a mix of humour and grounded human emotion as it tackles complicated friendships and the difficult road to adulthood…all while in a stolen car.
Let Them All Talk (wt)
The film is based on a story of a celebrated author who takes a journey with some old friends to have some fun and heal old wounds. Her nephew comes along to wrangle the ladies and finds himself involved with a young literary agent. Stars Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen, Diane Wiest and directed by Steven Soderbergh.
Superintelligence
Starring Melissa McCarthy, this film tells the story of Carol Peters, to whom nothing extraordinary ever happens. But the world’s first super-intelligence has selected her for observation, taking over her life…with a more ominous plan to take over everything.
Love Life trailer:
The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo trailer:
iWorld
Prime Video and Hrithik Roshan reunite for quirky heist comedy Mess
HRX Films expands pact with quirky heist comedy set for production
MUMBAI: Prime Video is doubling down on its partnership with Hrithik Roshan, announcing a new comedy film Mess that promises chaos, chuckles and a clever twist on the classic heist.
Produced by Hrithik Roshan and Eshaan Roshan under HRX Films, a division of FilmKraft Productions, the film is being made in association with Soda Films Lab. Directed by Rajesh A Krishnan, Mess marks the second collaboration between the streaming platform and HRX Films after the upcoming thriller Storm.
At the heart of Mess lies an unusual premise. A group of robbers break into the home of a man with OCD, only to find themselves outmatched in a night-long standoff that flips the script on who is really in control. It is a set-up that blends tension with humour, turning a break-in into a breakdown of expectations.
Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok said, “A good story should surprise and entertain, and Mess does both with ease. It brings together a unique premise, memorable characters and a tone that keeps you laughing throughout.”
He added that the collaboration with HRX Films continues to grow stronger, with the new film reflecting a shared appetite for bold and original storytelling.
Hrithik Roshan said, “After Storm, Mess feels like a natural next step in our journey with Prime Video. The film captures the kind of unconventional storytelling we want to champion, with Rajesh bringing a distinctive voice to the narrative.”
Director Rajesh A Krishnan said, “The world of Mess is a mix of comedy and chaos, unusual enough to keep audiences on edge while still delivering humour. It has been a deeply collaborative and creatively fulfilling experience.”
The original screenplay comes from Paul Soter, with adaptation and dialogues by Kapil Sawant, adding another layer of craft to the film’s offbeat narrative.
As production gears up, Mess looks ready to live up to its name, serving up a delightful tangle of mayhem, mischief and movie magic for audiences in India and beyond.
