Warner Bros. Discovery has announced the closure of four HBO TV features, ceasing a range of popular programming available on each. Aside from its streaming offerings on Max, HBO offers 24/7 channels that users can add to their cable subscription or package. The programming on each channel is usually theme-focused, allowing audiences to find something more easily suitable to watch at any time of day.
A notice from Spectrum, a pay TV provider that houses HBO channels, has revealed HBO plans to cease operating four of its channels, as listed below. Spectrum's notice reveals the channels still have a few more weeks in operation, but will no longer be offered from August 15, 2025.
Several of these channels are under Warner Bros.' Cinemax brand, which is considered a film-focused sister network to HBO and broadcasts many of the Warner Bros.-produced films and IP. Many of them have been in operation for over two decades.
Warner Bros is Shutting Down These Channels
HBO Family
As the name suggests, HBO Family is a channel dedicated to family-focused and child-friendly content. The channel broadcasts both series and movies, with some of its recent offerings including the HBO original His Dark Materials, and recent releases like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Wonka. The channel also regularly offers blockbuster showings from its catalogue, such as Superman Returns and Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom, and animated features such as the Oscar-winning Flow.
ThrillerMax
ThrillerMax offers more suspenseful and horror-themed programming, ranging from high-stakes thrillers to darker superhero fare. Some movies in ThrillerMax's remaining schedule include The Imitation Game, It, Scream, and blockbusters like Logan, Jonah Hex, and Black Adam.
MovieMax
MovieMax's broader programming offerings are aimed primarily at young adult audiences, so the channel covers a range of genres, from dramas and comedies to romance and horror.
Some films on MovieMax in the coming weeks include The Martian, Birds of Prey, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, 17 Again, and The Florida Project.
OuterMax
OuterMax, a channel focused on pop culture or " genre " titles in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, will also be axed in the coming months. Some of this channel's programming offerings include A24 titles like Midsommar and The Iron Claw, cult sci-fi and fantasy films like Beowulf and Jupiter Ascending, and blockbuster franchises like X-Men: Apocalypse, The Flash, and Warcraft.
Warner Bros. Discovery declined to provide a reason for the closure of these channels. It appears to be a strategic move as more audiences turn to streaming options to watch HBO's catalogue rather than relying on linear programming. Recently, some streamers have experimented with adding themed channels to their digital platform (such as Disney+'s Star Wars-focused channel), which may provide a new format for these legacy channels to live on.
