Why the Westworld series is not on HBO Max in France

The catalog of HBO Max, a new streaming service launched in France on June 11, 2024, is substantial. But some content is conspicuous by its absence, such as Westworldseries canceled after four seasons.

Since June 11, it has been possible to discover a new SVOD platform in France. Entitled Max, it provides access to the entire catalog of the giant Warner Bros. Discovery. Or almost, since some content is missing. This is the case of Westworlda promising series which amazed people with its first season, before being unceremoniously canceled in 2022. It will never end.

Produced by HBO, Westworld had its place on Max, especially when we remember the impact that the first episodes had on viewers. But Warner Bros. Discovery has made the decision not to integrate Westworld in Max’s catalog, as is the case in the United States. In February 2023, during an interview with Variety, Casey Bloys, in charge of content, revealed the reason for this choice. It is obviously economical.

“Westworld” screenshot. HBO.

Money is robbing us of Westworld on HBO Max

Like the movie Batgirlwhose filming was nevertheless completed, Westworld was the victim of the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery. It led to lower costs and a reorientation of resources. “ The great experiment of creating without counting is over », declared David Zaslav, CEO of the group, in 2022. A fifth season of Westworld had indeed been ordered by HBO, and its cancellation cost a lot of money (for example, the actors were paid) – recalls Screen Rant in an article published in February 2023.

Therefore, propose Westworld exclusively on HBO Max also costs money. This is what Casey Bloys explains: “ The challenge is knowing the right amount of money to pay for streaming, and therefore the right amount of money to pay for original content. There are also thoughts on the catalog: does all the content we have on HBO Max have to be exclusive to HBO Max? I would say no. »

In the United States, Warner Bros. Discovery has sold broadcast rights to platforms with a different business model — Roku and Tubi. They are closer to traditional TV channels with advertising (FAST, or free ad-supported streaming television). This deal allows the multinational to make profitable despite everything the immense investments linked to Westworld, without really accepting his failure. So, offering an unfinished series in your catalog is not necessarily a great showcase. Except that in France, Westworld is now only available for purchase or rental (the full version is €39.99 on Apple TV, for example).