The streaming wars were always going to heat up this year, but they've taken on a new angle as everyone is stuck inside and companies see a prime opportunity to lock down a captive audience. HBO Max is set to debut on May 27th, but they're already planning to the end of the summer with a wave of original content that includes the Seth Rogen comedy An American Pickle, the three-part Amy Schumer documentary Expecting Amy, the adult animated comedy Close Enough, the scripted comedy Frayed, and more.

The question becomes will this be enough to get new subscribers to log on. The problem with HBO Max isn't content as much as it's about competition. HBO Max, by being part of the WarnerMedia label, has no issue with its catalog (Day One titles will include 2001: A Space Odyssey, An American in Paris, Blade Runner: The Final Cut, Braveheart, Citizen Kane, Friday the 13th, Godzilla, Gone with the Wind, the Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night, the Lethal Weapon series, A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, North by Northwest, Rebel without a Cause, Singin' in the Rain, and V for Vendetta just to name a few) and you also get all the good HBO stuff in there as well. But do viewers want to tack another $15/month onto their subscriptions? As someone who already subscribes to HBO Now (which will be converted into HBO Max automatically), I think it's worth it, and I'm eager to see these originals, but I can understand if others are a bit more hesitant to pull the trigger.

For more on the second wave titles, check out the press release below:

The next wave of titles coming to the platform begins Thursday, June 18th with the debut of the entire first season of the unscripted kids adventure competition series Karma, led by YouTube host Michelle Khare.

 

On Thursday, June 25th, HBO Max will premiere an original second season of the critically acclaimed DC Universe fan-favorite Doom Patrol; an original second season of Sesame Workshop’s animated series Esme & Roy, taking preschool-aged viewers on learning adventures through Monsterdale; a brand new third season of the comedy thriller Search Party (the first two seasons will be available on the platform at launch on May 27th); and Adventure Time: Distant Lands- BMO, the first of four hourlong breakout specials resurrecting the Emmy® and Peabody award-winning franchise Adventure Time.

 

Thursday, July 9th is the premiere of the three-part documentary series Expecting Amy, an unfiltered and intimate view into comedian Amy Schumer’s life on tour creating a stand-up special during her difficult pregnancy, directed and edited by Alexander Hammer, and the adult animated comedy Close Enough, a hilarious look at the surreal life of a millennial family living with roommates, from J.G. Quintel, creator of the Emmy-winning Regular Show.

 

On Thursday, July 16th, the multi- generational family docusoap The House of Ho, chronicling the daily lives of patriarch Binh Ho, matriarch Hue Ho, their daughter Judy Ho, their son Washington Ho and his wife Lesley Ho, Aunt Tina, and Cousin Sammy, lands on the platform.

 

On Thursday, July 23rd, HBO Max will debut Cartoon Network Studios’ animated children’s series Tig n’ Seek, following eight-year-old Tiggy and his gadget-building cat Gweeseek.

 

On Thursday, July 30th, HBO Max presents the U.S. premieres of the scripted comedy Frayed, which follows a wealthy Londoner as she travels back to the Australian home she escaped as a teen, and the unscripted heartwarming British animal rescue series The Dog House.

 

On Thursday August 6, Seth Rogen’s comedy feature, An American Pickle will world premiere as the first HBO Max original film on the platform under the Warner Max label.