HBO Max: everything you need to know, Disney+ and Netflix competitor

HBO Max is about to launch and with it there will be millions of hours of your favorite TV shows and movies, and hopefully the launch of Zack Snyder's Justice League -- yeah of course I was going to say it.

AT&T's Warner Media will be launching HBO Max on May 27 for a price of $15 per month, which is more expensive than the competitors and their cheapest plans. Netflix costs $9 per month, while Disney+ starts at $7 per month, and Apple TV+ at $5 per month. However, HBO Max launches out of the gate with some gigantic libraries of some of the biggest TV shows in history, as well as a gigantic library of movies.

HBO Max isn't just another quick streaming service being launched, rather the company has invested billions of dollars into HBO Max to make sure it is a success. This is why the company paid $1 billion to the streaming rights of The Big Bang Theory, a 5-year streaming deal for Seinfeld that cost over $500 million, and they signed Lost and Fringe creator, as well as Star Trek, Star Wars, and Mission Impossible director J.J. Abrams for $250 million.

Oh, and did I mention HBO Max will be the new home to the entire Friends catalog? I told you I'd be there for you.

Warner Bros. recently confirmed that it will have an hour-long Friends reunion streamed on HBO Max, with Friends stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Matthew Perry. Friends creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman will also be on the Friends reunion special.

But what could be the biggest deal when it comes to the actual consumers and fans of massive franchises like Superman, Batman, Joker, and others -- is the surprise launch of Zack Snyder's Justice League. The #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement has been one of the most amazing marketing waves that cost absolutely zero from WB's perspective -- and yet has generated the biggest noise for a movie, ever.

HBO Max launching with Zack Snyder's Justice League would make it one of the hottest launches of all time, and would definitely be a silver bullet (or would that be Kryptonite) to other streaming services. HBO Max would be the only home to Zack Snyder's Justice League, and that would be a big deal for millions of fans (like myself) that would instantly sign up for HBO Max just for that.

• When does it launch: HBO Max launches on May 27 in the US. It will launch into international markets in the months post-launch, with Latin America and Europe first. The company has said that HBO Max will launch in Latin America in 2021, while other companies will sign deals to have HBO Max on their services (like Hulu, etc do outside of the US).
• How much does it cost: $15 per month, but if you sign up before May 27 here on HBOMax.com you can get HBO Max for just $12 per month for the first 12 months.
• What can I watch on it: Friends. The Big Bang Theory. Seinfeld. Every single Superman, Batman, and Joker movie. I mean, the library is so gigantic I can't list them all here or else it would take hours to scroll the list. But there is enough content to satisfy even the biggest TV and movie nerds (trust me, I'm one of them).
• HBO Max exclusives: HBO Max will have plenty of exclusives, something the company is calling Max Originals. Anna Kendrick will lead a new anthology series 'Love Life', while comedy genius Seth Rogan has 'An American Pickle'. Rogan's comedy is a time travel-style of story of a 1920s immigrant who gets preserved in pickle brine (I'm not making this up) for 100 years, and gets to meet his great grandson. The cherry on top? Rogan plays both characters.
• What products stream HBO Max: I'm a big user (enthusiast, really) of Google Chromecast, which works with HBO Max -- but so too does pretty much the entire Android OS landscape. This means Android-powered tablets, smartphones, TVs, and other devices will stream HBO Max. Apple users obviously aren't left out, with support for the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV 4K, and Apple TV HD.
• AT&T premium customer?: Then you'll get HBO Max bundled in for free with your plan, since AT&T customers on premium video, mobile, and broadband services receive HBO Max at no further cost.
• Hulu & YouTube TV, too: HBO Max will also be available through Hulu for $14.99 per month, alternatively if you're a current subscriber to HBO on Hulu, then you also get HBO Max for free. YouTube TV has announced that HBO Max will be available when it launches on May 27.

WarnerMedia will be competing with some massive industry giants with streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. All of which have gigantic libraries of content and some original shows that are some of the best shows in decades. But there are other streaming companies that HBO Max will compete against like Apple TV+, CBS All Access, Disney+, NBCUniversal's Peacock, and Quibi.

There will be 50 original titles on HBO Max by 2021, with HBO Max making 38 of them this year in 2020, and the other 12 of them for 2021. The company is aiming at three different demographics for the first wave of HBO Max originals, aimed at children and families, millennials and Gen Z, and adult women -- sorry, adult men.

HBO Max will have around 5-10 new originals every single year after 2021.

HBO Max launches on May 27 for $15 per month.