HBO Max Podcasts Expand With Batman And Other Scripted Audio Shows

HBO Max has big plans for its podcast, with parent company WarnerMedia announcing an expansion that includes original, scripted podcast shows. Thus far, the company has focused on companion podcasts for its hit shows like Chernobyl; the upcoming content will differ, instead offering listeners original scripted shows in audio format.

The HBO Max Podcast Program launched in 2019 with four podcasts, eventually expanding to the more than 25 shows it now offers. The original, scripted podcasts will expand this and we already know some of the titles to expect, including Batman: The Audio Adventures. Listeners can also expect things like the HBO Max Movie Club.

As expected, the upcoming scripted Batman podcast will be made in partnership with Warner Bros. and DC. According to WarnerMedia, the audio series will offer "a sensational pageant of technicolor villainy unlike any other on Earth." Popular characters will be featured in the series, including the Riddler and, of course, Batman himself.

The Batman podcast will arrive sometime this fall, while a look-back podcast on Band of Brothers will premiere on September 9th. Among other things, WarnerMedia says it will continue its co-production partnership with iHeartMedia, the largest podcast publisher in the world, and that it is expanding its Audacy partnership.

HBO Max has also teamed with Kast Media to launch a podcast called Welcome to The OC, Bitches, which will be an in-app streaming rewatch podcast about the series. Some of these shows will be exclusive to the HBO Max platform (including Batman), while others will also be available through traditional podcast listening apps.