Magnolia Network to Stream on HBO Max
By Movieguide® Contributor
Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network lineup will begin streaming on HBO Max in September due to the Discovery and WarnerMedia merger earlier this year.
According to Variety, “‘select’ titles from Magnolia Network will come to the streamer Friday, Sept. 30, as part of a page featuring ‘curated’ content from the Gaineses, which includes ‘Fixer Upper: Welcome Home,’ ‘Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines’ and ‘The Lost Kitchen,’ among other series.”
While the HGTV stars initially launched their linear and streaming Magnolia channel with Discovery last year, the recent merger between Discovery and WarnerMedia changed those plans.
The Hollywood Reporter reveals, “The programming shift is the first time that legacy Discovery programming will be added to HBO Max. The content will continue to be available on Discovery+.”
The FIXER UPPER stars’ upcoming series FIXER UPPER: THE CASTLE, which follows the couple as they renovate their 100-year-old Waco, Texas castle, will premiere on HBO Max, the linear Magnolia network and Discovery+ on October 14.
Additional Magnolia content will be added to HBO Max but will also remain available on Discovery+ for $4.99 per month with commercials compared to HBO Max’s $9.99 ad-supported plan.
Variety reports, “The news comes ahead of Warner Bros. Discovery’s Q2 earnings report and presentation later today, which is expected to be when CEO David Zaslav & co. reveal more about the future of HBO Max and Discovery+ — which are set to be combined into one platform at some point — and plans for the rest of the company.”
Under the new structure, Magnolia president Allison Page now reports to HBO and HBO Max content chief Casey Bloys.
Variety emphasizes that this leadership structure is “a notable sign of integration among the two companies, given that the couple has long been deeply tied to the identity of the legacy Discovery, due to the Gaineses’ origins as HGTV icons.”