HBO Max lands The Big Bang Theory streaming rights — the-big-bang-theory.com

HBO Max, an upcoming streaming service from WarnerMedia, has landed the exclusive streaming rights to The Big Bang Theory in the United States. When the service launches in the spring of next year, all 279 episodes of The Big Bang Theory will be available to stream for the first time in the United States. "Few shows define a generation and capture mainstream zeitgeist like The Big Bang Theory,” said Robert Greenblatt, WarnerMedia chairman. "We're thrilled that HBO Max will be the exclusive streaming home for this comedy juggernaut when we launch in the spring of 2020. This show has been a hit virtually around the globe, it’s one of the biggest shows on broadcast television of the last decade, and the fact that we get to bring it to a streaming platform for the first time in the U.S. is a coup for our new offering." The Big Bang Theory's entry into the domestic streaming market comes as competition heats up for popular library shows such as Friends, The Office and Seinfeld. HBO Max is set to take ownership of Friends, which was also produced by Warner Bros., away from Netflix, while NBCUniversal owner Comcast is taking The Office for its own upcoming ad-supported service. Facing the loss of two of its top shows, Netflix shored up its library this week be acquiring the worldwide rights to Seinfeld. The five-year deal with HBO Max also saw an extension of The Big Bang Theory's cable syndication run on TBS, another WarnerMedia property, through 2028. The Big Bang Theory has helped TBS rank as one of the top 5 cable outlets since the show debuted on the network in 2011. "It's not every day you get to extend the run of a cultural phenomenon that reaches nearly 35 million viewers on TBS alone every month," said Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer at HBO Max and president of TBS, TNT and truTV. "Through HBO Max and TBS, fans will have access to this beloved comedy for generations to come." The Big Bang Theory ended its twelve-season run on CBS this year as the longest-running multi-camera sitcom in U.S. TV history, and the most-watched entertainment show of the 2018/19 season. The Big Bang Theory's co-creator Chuck Lorre added, "I am forever grateful to have been part of something as extraordinary as The Big Bang Theory. All of us — Bill Prady, Steven Molaro, Steve Holland and the amazing writing staff, cast and crew — recognize that 12 seasons of laughter is a gift to be cherished. And now we are extremely excited that TBBT will be joining the HBO Max lineup and be available to both existing and future fans of the show. Laughter has legs!"

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