Streaming-Exclusive Movies Are Low-Key Vanishing From HBO Max

"Batgirl" fans got some terrible news earlier this week after it was announced that Warner Bros. has planned to shelve the movie indefinitely. What's strange about the situation, however, is that the film had reportedly finished shooting and was expected to arrive on HBO Max later this year. As of this writing, it's unknown if the DC superhero film will be released at all.

Similarly, the studio also decided to pull the plug on the animated feature "Scoob!: Holiday Haunt (per The Hollywood Reporter). The follow-up to 2020's "Scoob!", which would have followed younger versions of the Mystery Inc. gang, was slated to arrive on HBO Max sometime this year. 

According to Newsweek, Warner Bros' decision to cancel two big-budget HBO Max films has raised some questions about the future of the streaming service under the Discovery merger. However, it appears that "Batgirl" and "Scoob!: Holiday Haunt" aren't the only projects to have been affected by recent changes within Warner Bros., as some HBO Max streaming-exclusive flicks have been taken down on the sneak.

The best films on HBO Max might not be there for much longer as Warner Bros. Discovery has already started removing titles from the service. Variety is reporting that six Max Originals have been quietly removed in recent weeks, while other upcoming projects have been erased from the release calendar.

"Moonshot," "Superintelligence," "The Witches," "Locked Down," "An American Pickle," and "Charm City Kings" are the movies that have been culled from HBO Max at the time of this writing. While it's not uncommon for streaming services to remove films and shows, the timing of these cuts is telling. The Variety article speculates that the aforementioned titles could be casualties of a cost-cutting effort by Warner Bros. Discovery, but the company has yet to comment on the matter.

Elsewhere, viewers who were looking forward to the "House Party" remake will have to be patient. The comedy, which was supposed to drop on HBO Max last month, has been removed from the upcoming release slate. This decision is similar to the "Batgirl" and "Scoob!: Holiday Haunt" situations, with Variety noting that Warner Bros. Discovery could have canceled all three films for a tax write-off.