Warner Bros. Discovery’s WBD brand, Home Box Office (HBO) is definitely pulling out all the stops to enrich its content catalog with the exquisite Game of Thrones (GOT) franchise.
In a significant move, George R.R. Martin, the creator of Game of Thrones, has revealed plans for three animated spin-offs of the GOT series set in the world of A Song of Ice & Fire. While two of these are on hold, one is actively in the works. As of now, the release date of the animated series is yet to be disclosed.
Furthermore, George R.R. Martin has divulged details about one of the series, Nine Voyages, which chronicles the legendary journeys of the Sea Snake that have undergone a transition from live-action to animation.
The author has cited potential financial constraints in the making of Nine Voyages, owing to a major part of the story unfolding at sea.
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Price and Consensus
The series marks an enticing addition to the upcoming House of the Dragon Season 2, slated to debut in the summer of 2024. With these endeavors, HBO aims to offer viewers a diverse array of streaming options in the near term.
WBD’s Upcoming Content Lineup to Fend Off Competitors
In an ambitious move, Warner Bros. Discovery is preparing to unleash a slew of content on HBO, including titles such as True Detective: Night Country, Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, On The Roam, The Regime, and more. This is expected to pose a stiff challenge to rivals like Netflix and Disney in the coming months.
Netflix, for instance, plans to roll out a multitude of content including Boy Swallows Universe, Orion and the Dark, In Your Dreams, Spellbound, That Christmas, and several others in the near future. In an effort to enhance user retention, Netflix is also set to gratify binge-watchers with ad-free episodes, offering one ad-free episode for every three consecutive episodes viewed by users.
Similarly, Disney is gearing up to unleash a bundle of content on Disney+ through 2024, encompassing titles like Echo, A Real Bug’s Life, and new episodes of Bluey. Notably, Disney also offers an ad-supported plan featuring exclusive originals and library content.
Not to be outdone, Amazon is also a significant player in the streaming industry, with plans to launch multiple content on its streaming platform, Amazon Prime Videos, including Foe, Role Play, Hazbin Hotel, LOL: Last One Laughing Ireland, among others.
In a bid to attract new users, Warner Bros. Discovery recently rolled out a Black Friday promotion offering a 70% discount on its ad-supported plan for the first six months. The impending strong content lineup on HBO is anticipated to boost customer retention in the near term.
WBD’s Outlook Strong for the Near Term
Looking ahead, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company is poised to launch an upgraded version of the HBO Max streaming service, Max, in several international markets such as Latin America, the Nordics, Iberia, the Netherlands, Central and Eastern Europe, France, and Belgium. This move is expected to bolster the company’s presence in the global streaming market in the coming quarters.
Over the past three months, shares of Warner Bros. Discovery have surged 13.3%, outperforming the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector’s 14.7% rise.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Warner Bros. Discovery’s 2023 revenues stands at $41.28 billion, indicating a robust 22.1% year-over-year growth. Additionally, the consensus estimate for fourth-quarter 2023 earnings remains fixed at 1 cent per share over the past 30 days.