FILE – Author George R.R. Martin poses at the premiere of the film “Tolkien,” at the Regency Village Theatre on May 8, 2019, in Los Angeles.
Warner Bros. Discovery is sticking with safe bet franchises that will likely lure viewers, including a “Harry Potter” series and a “Game of Thrones” prequel for its rebranded Max streaming service.
Executives touted Max and made original Warner Bros. Discovery programming announcements on Wednesday during a presentation for journalists and investors. The $16-per-month service will be released May 23 in the U.S. and automatically replace the company’s existing HBO Max.
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The “Harry Potter” series is described as a “faithful retelling” of the books about the boy wizard by J. K Rowling, featuring a new cast.
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Each season is intended to focus on one of the seven books, though Max anticipates stretching the series to a decade-long run.
Max also announced it is has also ordered a “Game of Thrones” prequel called “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight,” set in Westeros 100 years prior to the events of “Game of Thrones." It's based on fantasy novellas by George R. R. Martin, which follow the adventures of a knight named Ser Duncan the Tall (known as Dunk) and Aegon V Targaryen (called Egg). Martin will serve as an executive producer and writer on the series alongside Ira Parker.
“House of the Dragon” also a “Game of Thrones” prequel, has begun production on its second season for HBO.
Other announcements included a series based on the Penguin character in "The Batman", which is now in production with Colin Farrell resuming his role and another comedy set in the “Big Bang Theory” universe from Chuck Lorrie, both for Max.
