HBO shocked some individuals just lately when it canceled Westworld and introduced that the present seasons would shift to non-HBO platforms. Talking to Selection, HBO programming boss Casey Bloys stated the higher-ups spent a while fascinated with what was the proper sum of money to spend on HBO Max unique reveals. Second, the group thought of if each HBO present wanted to run on HBO. The reply was no.
The choice, within the case of Westworld, was to cancel the deliberate fifth season and shift Seasons 1-4 to free ad-support TV (FAST) channels.
“These are costly reveals to make. The concept that they’ll sit in a library endlessly and ever for $15 a month, that is by no means how TV has operated,” Bloys stated.
With this considering, Bloys arrived on the concept to chop Westworld from HBO Max and promote it to FAST channels–in the case of Westworld, these embrace Roku and Tubi. Bloys made this determination after talking with Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Pleasure.
“I feel individuals generally overlook there’s a overwhelming majority of the inhabitants that do not wish to pay something for a streaming service, not solely [in the US], however internationally,” Bloys stated. “In the identical method that Netflix was a model new factor, let’s throw some reveals up there and expose it to a brand new viewers and see the way it does. I feel it’s a must to sort of dip your toe in and see what’s on the market.”
For what it is value, although, Bloys admitted that he has “no concept” if FAST goes to take off and grow to be an enormous enterprise. “However I do know that some individuals do not wish to pay and are OK with getting adverts. And that is a probably very massive viewers and a brand new viewers for a present. In order that’s one thing we’re attempting,” he stated.
As talked about, Westworld’s deliberate fifth season isn’t going forward, although the celebs are nonetheless being paid for it. HBO’s latest hit TV collection is The Final of Us, which airs Sunday nights.
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