Westworld and other removed HBO Max shows will return on free streaming services

Western world was pulled from HBO Max earlier this week, along with several other shows like raised by wolves Y the neversBut they won’t be gone forever. Instead, these series will be licensed to different streaming services, with a particular emphasis on free ones like The Roku Channel or Freevee, according to HBO’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.

These streaming services, known in the industry as FAST (“ad-supported free streaming”) services, allow users to watch movies and shows without subscription fees. With smaller budgets for original content, products like Freevee, Roku Channel, Tubi and Pluto TV often rely on licensing deals with other production companies, which is a niche Warner Bros. Discovery hopes it can fill with the shows it has removed from its lineup. own service

Of course, for anyone paying attention, this is all part of a larger cost-cutting plan for Warner Bros. Discovery that’s been in the works for the past few months. The rush to cut expenses began when Warner Bros. merged with Discovery and CEO David Zaslav took over. Under Zaslav’s watch, Warner canceled projects long in development like Bat girlbrought in James Gunn and Peter Safran as the new studio heads of the DC Universe, and removed many shows and movies from HBO Max to license later or just cut waste and overhead.

Here’s a full list of things removed in the latest HBO Max pick, which the company says will reappear on FAST platforms in the future:

• Western world
• the nevers
• Raised by wolves
• fboy island
• Legendary
• Finding Magic Mike
• top of the class
• The Time Traveler’s Wife

Warner Bros. Discovery has yet to announce which platforms these series will port to or when they might be available to watch again.