HBO Max Notches Most-Viewed Month Ever in December Since Launch
From The Streamable
JAN 5, 2022, 10:34 AM PST – Lauren Forristal
HBO Max was a hit this holiday season as December marks the platform’s most-viewed month since its launch in May 2020 in terms of hours viewed. This is thanks to its original content such as series like “And Just Like That…” and “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” as well as popular HBO hits “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Insecure,” plus blockbusters including “King Richard” and “The Matrix Resurrections.”
“The Sex Lives of College Girls” kicked off the month of December with final episodes that will bring the series a 76% jump in viewership from its premiere day. The half-hour comedy is ranked as the second-best start for a Max Original comedy on the platform overall while “And Just Like That… ” has been number one in the Europe, Latin America, and the U.S. since its release.
The “Sex and the City” reboot series continues to hold its spot this month as viewership of the most recent episodes spiked nearly 20% from the previous week for its largest single day audience since it first aired.
Then, “Succession” had a incredible response after the finale of Season , with its total viewing increasing 47%.
The final two Warner Bros. Pictures films to debut on HBO Max the same day as their theatrical premieres were “The Matrix Resurrections” and Will Smith’s “King Richard,” both gaining strong viewership. “The Matrix Resurrections” finished the month in the top 4 spot among Warner Bros.’s day-and-date films for 2021. It was the most-watched film overall on the platform in December.
We can expect the success to continue flowing as HBO Max garners the attention of Harry Potter fans for the New Year release of “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts,” with charming stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint waving their wands with a magical ranking of 3rd place among all series on the platform. An impressive accomplishment since the reunion special was only available for two days out of the month.
Plus, with all the Potterheads having a night-long “Harry Potter” marathon, all eight movies ranked among the top 15 movies in the week as well as seeing double-digit gains versus the week prior. The new series “Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses” experienced the halo effect of success as well. The only cult fanbase that could possibly beat “Harry Potter” fans were the “Friends” viewers who put the “Friends: The Reunion” as the top title.
For 2022, HBO Max has a ton of titles coming to the service which should continue the trend. New and recurring series such as “The Gilded Age,” “Peacemaker,” as well as the most anticipated newest season of “The Flight Attendant,” and a ton of other titles coming this January, will HBO Max continue on this trajectory of instant views?
