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HBO edited that coffee cup out of 'Game of Thrones'
If you hadn't already heard, HBO accidentally left a coffee cup in a shot from episode four of Game of Thrones' final season -- millions of TV viewers learned that Daenerys can't function before she's had her latte. However, you won't have much luck trying to revisit that production blunder online. HBO has digitally removed the cup from the episode on digital services like HBO Go, leaving an empty spot on the table where the caffeination once stood.
HBO isn't happy about Trump's Game of Thrones-inspired tweets
With the Mueller report finally making its way into the hands of the public, President Donald Trump was quick to claim victory and declare an end to the collusion and obstruction of justice scandals that have loomed over his presidency over the last two years. He did so in typically abrasive fashion, with a tweet aimed at his "haters and the radical left Democrats." However, HBO isn't too happy he mimicked Game of Thrones imagery with the use of "game over" and a font similar to one used in the show.
'Game of Thrones' premiere was pirated nearly 55 million times in one day
It won't surprise you to hear that Game of Thrones is a pirate magnet, but the sheer scale of that piracy may be reaching new heights. The analytics company MUSO has determined that people pirated the show's season eight premiere just shy of 55 million times in the first 24 hours. About 76.6 percent of those viewers relied on bootleg streams, while the rest were split between downloads (12.2 percent), public torrents (10.8 percent) and private torrents (0.5 percent). Just where people pirated the episode may be the most interesting part, though -- it speaks volumes about the limitations of TV and sreaming services.
Recommended Reading: The end of 'Game of Thrones'
'Game of Thrones' season 8 showrunners interview: 'This is where the story ends' James Hibberd, Entertainment Weekly Winter is here. HBO's powerhouse Game of Thrones returns for its final season this weekend, signaling the beginning of the end (at least for now) of the stories of Westeros. Entertainment Weekly sat down with the showrunners for season 8, David Benioff and Dan Weiss, who are also the masterminds behind much of the show's narrative arc. The pair promises they'll be in an "undisclosed location" when the final episode airs, "turning off our phones and opening various bottles."
HBO is available as a premium add-on through the Roku Channel
The Roku Channel has added HBO to its list of premium subscriptions available on its streaming platform. Those who own a Roku device can now sample a 7-day free trial of HBO on the Roku Channel, after which it will cost $14.99 a month. It's the same pricing as the HBO Now standalone package and the HBO add-on on other streaming platforms like Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. Timing is perfect for those who want to catch the final season premiere of Game of Thrones, which debuts on April 14th.
Apple video service may charge $10 each for HBO, Showtime and Starz
Apple's video service event is just hours away, but there are still a few rumors making the rounds -- including, apparently, pricing. Wall Street Journal contacts claim Apple has been negotiating to offer subscriptions to channels "such as" HBO, Showtime and Starz for $10 each through its new TV app, which would also include Apple's original programming. In that light, it would be closer to Amazon's Prime Video Channels, where the focus is on convenient access to third party services.
AT&T is increasing DirecTV Now prices by $10 per month
If you subscribe to AT&T's DirecTV Now, keep an eye on your bill -- prices are going up again. Last July, AT&T increased the cost of its live TV streaming bundles by $5 per month. And according to Variety, beginning in April, AT&T will add another $10 per month. That means the cost of a monthly subscription has gone up more than 40 percent in less than one year. In addition to the price changes, AT&T will streamline its DirecTV Now plans offering just two, rather than its current five (though existing customers will not be kicked out of their packages).
HBO’s 'The Inventor' explores how Theranos happened, but not why
From the beginning of The Inventor, HBO's upcoming documentary about the failed blood testing startup Theranos, director Alex Gibney ties the story of founder Elizabeth Holmes to another notable tinkerer: Thomas Edison. Like Holmes, he tried to "fake it till he made it," throughout his career. After buying the rights to an early incandescent bulb design, he spent years claiming he'd solved the light bulb problem, long before he finally created one that lasted over 1,200 hours. Unlike the Theranos founder, though, he succeeded before his failures caught up with him.
Recommended Reading: The battle to make the end of 'Game of Thrones'
'Game of Thrones' first look: Inside the brutal battle to make season 8 James Hibberd, Entertainment Weekly HBO's insanely popular epic concludes in April, but the battle to film the battles, and to keep them from being leaked ahead of time, was a constant struggle for the crew. Entertainment Weekly goes behind the scenes of the final season and offers a spoiler-free primer ahead of its debut in a few weeks.
I bled for 'Game of Thrones' for the right and wrong reasons
How could HBO outdo its massive Westworld role-playing experience from last year's SXSW? By asking Game of Thrones fans to prove their devotion by drawing blood. Bleed for the Throne, the network's massive blood drive in partnership with the Red Cross, is one of the most elaborate marketing stunts at this year's show. By taking part at SXSW, or other drive locations around the US, fans are also entered into a contest to attend the Game of Thrones premiere in New York City later this year.
HBO CEO steps down in the wake of AT&T acquisition
Richard Plepler, the CEO of HBO, stepped down from his post on Thursday, according to the New York Times. Shortly after his departure was made public, Variety reported Turner television executive David Levy will also be leaving his company. The moves appear to mark a significant shakeup within Time Warner, the parent company of HBO. The changes come just months after AT&T acquired the media company for $85.4 billion.
AT&T's streaming service won't have original shows until 2020
AT&T is continuing the trickle of information about its upcoming WarnerMedia streaming service, and this time it's more specific about the kind of content you'll get. TBS and TNT President Kevin Reilly told guests at a Television Critics Association event that the beta version of the service launching in 2019 won't have originals -- you'll have to wait until 2020 for that. It would, however, offer some of its most coveted shows. Reilly said you could expect the company to ultimately host its "crown jewels," and might even yank must-have shows like Friends away from Netflix -- it's "not a good model" to share productions like that, he said.
HBO documentary on Theranos' rise and fall premieres March 18th
You may be familiar with the gist of Theranos' rapid rise and equally rapid decline, but HBO is betting that you don't know the whole story. The broadcaster is premiering a documentary on the former medical technology darling, The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, on March 18th. It's directed by Going Clear's Alex Gibney and aims to shine a new light on Elizabeth Holmes' company using "insider footage" as well as interviews with people directly involved in the saga, including whistleblower employees and the Wall Street Journal reporter who uncovered the scandal.
Watch the first trailer for HBO's 'The Case Against Adnan Syed'
Nearly five years after Serial first aired and raised questions about the murder conviction against Adnan Syed, HBO is picking up the story to lay out more details about the crime and conviction. The premium cable company dropped its first trailer for its upcoming documentary The Case Against Adnan Syed, which is set to air later this spring.
Premium subscriptions are now available on the Roku Channel
After racking up viewers with free movies and TV shows, Roku is expanding its popular Roku Channel to include premium content providers. The update, which was announced earlier this month, adds support for more than 25 subscription services including Starz, Showtime and Epix. Roku is starting the roll out of the update today, bringing it first to Roku players. It will reach all supported devices over the next few weeks, with Roku TVs planned to be the last to receive the update.
Recommended Reading: How we got two Fyre Festival documentaries
Fyre Fight: The inside story of how we got two warring Fyre Festival documentaries in the same week Scott Tobias, The Ringer We've known for a while now that Hulu and Netflix were both working on documentaries chronicling the ill-fated influencer trainwreck that was the Fyre Festvial. We also knew Netflix was set to debut its version on January 18th. Before it could do so, Hulu debuted its film earlier this week, getting its take on the event that never happened to viewers first. So... why are there two in the first place? And why was Hulu in a rush to be first? The Ringer takes a closer look at just that, including whether or not one is more ethical than the other.
'Westworld Mobile' game pulled following Bethesda lawsuit
It's now clearer just how Behaviour Interactive and Warner Bros. resolved that Bethesda lawsuit over Westworld Mobile's similarity to Fallout Shelter... and it's not looking good for the android theme park contingent. Behaviour and WB have pulled Westworld Mobile from app stores and disabled in-app purchases for the management game. You can still play for now, but it'll shut down altogether on April 16th.
'Game of Thrones' teaser trailer hypes up the final season
Following some subtle teasers and brief clips, HBO has at least revealed the release date and a substantial teaser for Games of Thrones' final season. The minute-and-a-half long clip shows the remaining Stark children meeting up in the family crypt and receiving ghostly council from Ned Stark and other deceased family members. The description states that "Game of Thrones returns for its final season on April 14."
AT&T, Dish point fingers after HBO blackout
It's been less than six months since HBO (and the rest of what is now called WarnerMedia) joined AT&T, and now we have our first bonafide carriage dispute. Both AT&T and Dish blamed the other for HBO and Cinemax going dark on the Dish Network and Sling TV services, in the first such tiff of HBO's 40-year history.
Netflix will raise $2 billion to pay for more original content
It's hard to deny that Netflix is a powerhouse when it comes to original content. The company wants to ensure it remains on top, though, and to do that it's willing to go into debt. Netflix announced today that it plans to raise $2 billion in debt (rather than offering equity in the company) to fund "general corporate purposes, which may include content acquisitions, production and development, capital expenditures, investments, working capital and potential acquisitions and strategic transactions," according to a release.
