HBO Max Ends Free Trial Ahead of ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ Release

With the release of Wonder Woman 1984 just a few weeks away, HBO Max is officially ending its seven-day free trial offer, Variety reports. Instead of the seven-day trial, the WarnerMedia-owned streaming service will be offering a discount to customers who purchase a six-month subscription. The new promo, which is available to both new and returning HBO Max users, begins today, December 3, and runs through January 15, 2021.

According to the HBO Max website, customers who pay for a six-month membership in advance will only be charged $69.99, a 22% discount from the usual $14.99/month fee. The promo window will extend through the release of Wonder Woman 1984 on December 25 and continue through New Years before ending just two weeks prior to the release of The Little Things, Warner Bros.’ first film of 2021.

“We frequently update and iterate our offers to provide flexible ways for potential subscribers to access all that HBO Max has to offer,” a WarnerMedia representative said in a statement about the free trial ending, per Variety.

WarnerMedia’s decision to cancel the HBO Max seven-day trial comes less than an hour after Warner Bros. announced that its entire 2021 film slate will be released on the platform for an exclusive, one-month access period “concurrent with the film’s domestic release” in theaters. The studio’s current lineup includes The Little Things, Judas and the Black Messiah, Tom & Jerry, Godzilla vs. Kong, Mortal Kombat, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In The Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Reminiscence, Malignant, Dune, The Many Saints of Newark, Cry Macho, and The Matrix 4, but Warner notes that the films and release dates are subject to change.

“We’re living in unprecedented times which call for creative solutions, including this new initiative for the Warner Bros. Pictures Group,” said Ann Sarnoff, Chair and CEO of WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group, in a statement. “No one wants films back on the big screen more than we do. We know new content is the lifeblood of theatrical exhibition, but we have to balance this with the reality that most theaters in the U.S. will likely operate at reduced capacity throughout 2021.”

“With this unique one-year plan, we can support our partners in exhibition with a steady pipeline of world-class films, while also giving moviegoers who may not have access to theaters or aren’t quite ready to go back to the movies the chance to see our amazing 2021 films,” she continued. “We see it as a win-win for film lovers and exhibitors, and we’re extremely grateful to our filmmaking partners for working with us on this innovative response to these circumstances.”