Whoa. Surprise launch for Harry Potter TV show from a bold HBO Max!
HBO Max has just made the boldest move it could with the upcoming Harry Potter TV series: It is going to debut on Christmas Day.
And further to that, the series will debut this year. Until now there was the belief that we may be looking at a launch early next year.
And further to that… today we have an official teaser trailer (it’s over two minutes in length… in my day we’d just call this a trailer, HBO):
With the show likely to debut a new season every year, this looks like HBO Max is planning to own Christmas for the next seven or so years. It takes the place of Stranger Things, which last year took the primary spot in cultural conversation over the festive season.
Each season of the show will cover one of the books. The first season is to be titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Presumably that will be the global title and they won’t change it for the US to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone like they did with the book and movie because they don’t know what a philosopher is.
With Harry Potter leading kicking off in December and running (presumably weekly) through January and into February, and The Pitt debuting like clockwork in January, HBO Max is doing a lot here to really own the first months of the year.
A streaming service really doesn’t need an avalanche of content every week - a few key titles holding the service together throughout the year can do a lot of heavy lifting. That’s where long-running titles released consistently at the same time of the year can really benefit a streaming service. For the next decade, we will be associating the holiday period with Harry Potter.
I’m assuming that the show will still be slightly too advanced for my kid (the future CEO of the Always Be Watching media empire) who will have just turned five when the first season of Harry Potter debuts. But I can see this as a show that will take on an outsized presence in our home over the coming years.
On that, I do wonder how Harry Potter sits alongside the rest of the HBO Max library. A few iterations ago, it was decided to pull back from kids and family content on the service. Now with Harry Potter, it does feel like there’s an absence of much else for kids outside of long-held film library titles. It’ll be interesting to see if HBO move on producing more in the way of family content to service the influx of incoming youngs with fresh content to watch.
Disney challenges for new CEO
Worth a read today is this article by Alex Weprin about the challenges that Disney is unexpectedly facing at a time where it has just installed a new CEO who is seeking to drive innovation and expansion, taking the company in a number of new directions.
New CEO Josh D’Amaro is dealing with the impact of OpenAI shutting down its Sora platform (where Disney was set to spend $1b to invest in the company and deliver Disney IP to the AI platform), Epic Games (the publishers of Fortnite and a partner with Disney in a deal connecting Disney IP with the flagship game) slashing 20% of its workforce, the decision to cancel a completed season of The Bachelorette before the first episode screened, and the impact of the Iran war on a just-announced Abu Dhabi Disney theme park.
The company said Tuesday that “we will continue to engage with AI platforms to find new ways to meet fans where they are while responsibly embracing new technologies that respect IP and the rights of creators,” but with OpenAI out, it isn’t clear who else they would partner with in the near-term.
The world is shifting all around us right now for reasons of economy, geo-politics, technology, and divergent culture. For a company the size of Disney, it is impacted by all of that at an alarming pace.
BBC challenges for new Director General
The BBC has today announced the news we’ve all known for around a week, which is that ex-Google exec Matt Brittin will replace outgoing director general Tim Davie.
The appointment has broadly been well-received, with many looking at the need for the BBC to be more savvy around digital distribution and looking to Brittin as an exec well-placed to facilitate that.
Steven Barnett today writes at The Conversation about the many challenges facing the BBC right now as the broadcaster completes its transition from analogue to digital broadcasting at a time where global media and technology shifts are colliding with increased pressure around BBC funding and governance.
There’s nothing new or especially insightful in the article, but it is a great read if you want to get up to speed very quickly on the state of all things BBC right now and to seem knowledgable in conversations with co-workers.
First, it is quite possible that the broadcast signal will be switched off in the next charter period. The government is now considering options for the distribution of TV, which will require upgrading existing infrastructure if the current terrestrial system is to continue into the 2040s. Given that households are moving to broadband via smart TVs and other devices, broadcasters have expressed a clear preference for an earlier switch-off to avoid the cost of running two distribution systems.
At that point, the BBC ceases to be a broadcaster (except perhaps via radio) and becomes a public service content provider. It will have to compete not just with powerful streamers like Netflix, but with platforms like YouTube. A tech background like Brittin’s will arguably help the BBC in this new competitive environment. But he will need an experienced deputy with the kind of journalistic background required to deal with the (inevitable) editorial controversies that the BBC will face.
News Desk
Australian streamer Stan’s latest locally-filmed production to star an international actor Two Birds begins pre-production today ahead of filming in Western Australia. UK actor Sheridan Smith stars, with Australian actors Judy Davis and Stephen Peacocke in supporting roles. It’s a co-production with ITV.
Jamie Lee-Curtis, who almost ruined the new series Scarpetta on Prime Video with her ridiculous, over-the-top performance, has been confirmed as playing Jessica Fletcher in the upcoming Murder She Wrote film. Read: The Guardian
Disney is planning a South Korean remake of The Americans, to be titled The Koreans. It’s about a pair of North Korean spies masquerading as a happily married couple in 1990s South Korea. This is an excellent idea. Read: THR
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert host Stephen Colbert has booked his first job to follow the end of his late night show in May: He’s a co-writer on a new Lord of The Rings film alongside his son. Read: Variety
Gwyneth Paltrow will star in the Netflix adaptation of Strangers. Read: The Wrap
The 500th episode of NCIS surprised viewers with the murder of a long-running character. Read: Deadline
Here’s showrunner Steven D. Binder explaining why they killed the character. Read: Variety
New syndicated show Adam’s Law is a second generation courtroom syndicated show. Maybe a TV first? It stars Judge Judy Sheindlin’s son. Read: Deadline
Nintendo is selling its digital games cheaper than the physical copies. As it should. Read: Polygon
Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski have renewed their deal at MS NOW, taking them through to 2029. Read: Deadline
Mackenzie Crook has a hit show with new comedy Small Prophets. So, obviously, he wants to end it with a second season. Read: Deadline
Trailer Park
Star City, Apple TV’s spin-off from For All Mankind, debuts May 29.
Star City. Where reaching for space meant risking everything on Earth.
The Old Stories: Moses debuts on Prime Video in the US Spring. It stars Ben Kingsley and O-T Fagbenle.
The Old Stories opens a window into the narratives that shaped Israel long before David took the throne. As the past unfolds with epic force, a young shepherd sees his own future reflected in the courage, failure, and obedience of those who came before him.
Apex debuts April 24 on Netflix.
Testing her limits in the remote and unforgiving Australian wilderness, Sasha (Charlize Theron) suddenly finds herself not only up against the elements, but also facing off against a ruthless and lethal predator (Taron Egerton).
Flunked debuts on Netflix April 23.
Eddy, a math genius and small-time crook, avoids jail-time by going undercover as a teacher. His mission: to identify the kid of a major criminal.
Straight To Hell debuts on Netflix April 27.
As Japan's most famous fortune teller, Kazuko Hosoki ruled TV and bestseller lists, but who was she behind rumors of spiritual scams and underworld ties?
Humint debuts on Netflix March 31.
A South Korean agent hunts a drug ring in Russia and goes head-to-head with a North Korean operative - pulling both into peril and tangled secrets.
When Hope Calls: Brookfield returns to Great American Family April 5 for season 3. I miss Due South as much as the next person, but I don’t think this is the replacement I’m looking for.
That’s the newsletter for the today.
Consider becoming a paid supporter of Always Be Watching.
Connect with Dan on Bluesky. Connect with Dan on Letterboxd. Connect with Dan on Linkedin. Challenge him on the NYT word game Crossplay. Email Dan @ alwaysbewatching.com or just reply to this email.
