or


[02/25/20 - 02:04 PM]
HBO Max Signs Exclusive Multi-Year Deal with Beloved Children's Author Mo Willems and Stampede Ventures
As part of this two-year deal, HBO Max has acquired streaming rights to Willems' first live-action special "Don't Let the Pigeon Do Storytime!"

[via press release from WarnerMedia]

HBO MAX SIGNS EXCLUSIVE MULTI-YEAR DEAL WITH BELOVED CHILDREN'S AUTHOR MO WILLEMS AND STAMPEDE VENTURES

Emmy(R)-Award Winning Willems to be HBO Max's First Ever Artist in Residence

Deal Includes Streaming Rights to Willems' First Live Action Special Don't Let the Pigeon Do Storytime! Produced by Stampede Ventures and Willems

LOS ANGELES - February 25, 2020 - Following a highly competitive negotiation, HBO Max has announced an exclusive, multi-year deal with beloved children's author Mo Willems, an Emmy(R)-Award winning writer, New York Times best-selling author, and illustrator, establishing Willems as HBO Max's very first artist in residence. As part of this two-year deal, HBO Max has acquired streaming rights to Willems' first live-action special Don't Let the Pigeon Do Storytime! from Greg Silverman's media company Stampede Ventures who will produce all additional content under this deal. HBO Max has committed to additional live-action Storytime specials, as well as multiple animated specials based on Willems' wildly popular children's books. The first animated special will be based on New York Times Best Seller, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed.

"Mo is a special talent with a profound ability to connect with children and families alike. We are so happy Mo and Stampede Ventures chose to partner with us at HBO Max," says Kevin Reilly, chief content officer, HBO Max, president, TNT, TBS, and truTV.

"We are so lucky to be able to work with the multi-talented Mo Willems, whose work is authentic, inspiring and truly impactful," adds Jennifer O'Connell, executive vice president of original non-fiction and kids programming, HBO Max.

"HBO Max is the perfect home for me to work on fun and experimental ways to bring my book characters and theater work to the screen because we share the goal of creating exciting shows and series that bring families together," says Willems. "My focus is making stuff that amuses, entertains and sparks creative play after the screen is powered down. Having the creative teams of HBO Max and Stampede Ventures with me means that we'll get to create meaningful work and have fun doing it. We're so excited we even created a new logo for the occasion. Banana!"

Added Stampede Ventures' Greg Silverman, "Stampede Ventures is honored to be Mo's partner as he brings his vibrant world to life in media for the first time and we couldn't ask for a better home than HBO Max. Mo's characters are already beloved by millions of families - his books are often the first that many children ever read on their own - and we're excited to help him bring these characters to life on screen."

Previously announced and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, Don't Let the Pigeon Do Storytime! is a premium, live-action family comedy special featuring Willems and the "Story Time All-Stars", a group of celebrities, comedians and actors, performing live readings and sketch comedy inspired by Willems' work, as well as a few surprise musical guests. Celebrity guests include Anthony Anderson (black-ish), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community), Rachel Dratch (Saturday Night Live), Cameron Esposito (Take My Wife), Tony Hale (Veep), Greta Lee (Russian Doll), Tom Lennon (The Odd Couple), Natalie Morales (Abby's) and Oscar Nunez (The Office). Shot over the summer at the prestigious Kennedy Center in Washington, DC., Don't Let the Pigeon Do Storytime! is produced by Stampede Ventures, with Willems and Stampede's Greg Silverman, Gideon Yu, Jay Judah and Chris Bosco serving as executive producers.

Willems began his career as a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy(R) Awards. Willems also created several animated projects for Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. His New York Times bestselling books have been recognized with many awards around the world including three Caldecott Honors, two Theodor Geisel Medals and five Geisel Honors. Willems has written four musicals based on his books and is the most produced playwright for Theatre for Young Audiences in America. Willems currently serves as the inaugural Education Artist-in-Residence at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, collaborating with artists in Jazz, Classical, Dance, Theater, Opera and Comedy.

The Willems deal with HBO Max was negotiated by Ellen Goldsmith-Vein of the Gotham Group, Marcia Wernick of Wernick & Pratt and Rick Ross of Eisner, LLP on behalf of Willems; Chris Bosco, Anna Pinar and CAA on behalf of Stampede Ventures; and spearheaded by Jay Judah.

About HBO Max

HBO Max is WarnerMedia's direct-to-consumer offering debuting in spring 2020. With 10,000 hours of curated premium content anticipated at launch, HBO Max will offer powerhouse programming for everyone in the home, bringing together HBO, a robust slate of new original series, key third-party licensed programs and movies, and fan favorites from Warner Media's rich library including Warner Bros., New Line, DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes and more. Sign up for updates at HBOMax.com.

About WarnerMedia

WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Now, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. WarnerMedia is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).

About Stampede Ventures

Stampede Ventures is an independent entertainment media company founded by Greg Silverman, the former President of Warner Bros. Pictures. The company's lead investor and co-chairman is Gideon Yu, former CFO of Facebook and YouTube, and co-owner of the San Francisco 49ers. Additional investors include leaders from Silicon Valley, Asia, and the U.S. media space. Stampede Ventures is on the forefront of content creation across the divisions of film, television, international and alternative programming.





  [february 2020]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[10/03/25 - 02:17 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting '25 MLB Wild Card Series
Across eight games, the MLB Wild Card Series is averaging 4.4 million viewers, up 65% from last year.

[10/03/25 - 12:37 PM]
BET+ Sets October 23 Premiere for "Carl Weber's The Family Business" Season 6
The 10-episode season will premiere with two episodes, followed by one episode weekly, with the finale on Thursday, December 18.

[10/03/25 - 12:07 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Continues to Shatter Records - Growing Two Weeks in a Row Since Season Premiere for First Time Since 2005
Plus: "High Potential" hit a season high in Total Viewers (4.24 million), growing by double digits over the show's comparable third episode from last fall.

[10/03/25 - 10:57 AM]
Legends, Champions and Icons of October Highlight FOX Sports' Postseason Broadcaster Lineup
FOX Sports begins its Postseason coverage Saturday, October 4 at 4:00 PM ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One as the New York Yankees face the Toronto Blue Jays.

[10/03/25 - 10:05 AM]
All-New Season of "Gold Rush" Returns with High-Stake Risks and Land Fury on Friday, November 7 at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
With only a few short months to mine, top bosses and rising underdogs collide in a race to claim new ground, move more dirt, and strike it rich.

[10/03/25 - 09:12 AM]
FOX Nation Secures Exclusive U.S. Rights to Docuseries "Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar"
The acclaimed series will make its anticipated U.S. debut on FOX Nation on Monday, October 6.

[10/03/25 - 08:02 AM]
TNT Sports to Be Exclusive Home of 2025 NLDS & NLCS
Both best-of-five NLDS series begin Saturday, October 4.

[10/03/25 - 08:01 AM]
TNT Sports Sets BIG EAST Men's College Basketball Schedule for Inaugural 2025-26 Season
TNT Sports' regular season BIG EAST men's basketball schedule will feature 40 appearances by St. John's, UConn, Creighton, Xavier, and Marquette, programs that each clinched berths in last season's NCAA Men's Tournament.

[10/03/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "27 Nights" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When a woman is admitted by her daughters to a psychiatric clinic for her carefree ways, an expert must judge if she is ill or simply wants to enjoy life.

[10/03/25 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "Steve" - Official Trailer #2 - Netflix
Over one intense day, the devoted head teacher of a last-chance reform school strives to keep his students in line while facing pressures of his own.

[10/03/25 - 03:02 AM]
Miguel Herran Will Play Poli Diaz in "El Porto the Vallecas," the New Film by Daniel Calparsoro for Netflix
Inspired by true events, the film follows the life of Policarpo "Poli" Díaz (Miguel Herrán), a young man from Vallecas who, despite a childhood marked by poverty and family violence, became a boxing legend in 1980s Spain, even fighting for the world lightweight title.

[10/03/25 - 03:01 AM]
Netflix Honors Jane Goodall with Posthumous Release of "Famous Last Words" Docuseries Following Her Passing
The series showcases reflective interviews with some of the world's most influential cultural figures, who agreed to sit down and discuss their legacy, and give their final words, with the understanding that it would only be shared with the world after they passed.

[10/02/25 - 04:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers the Most-Watched WNBA Semifinals Ever
Game 5 between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces averaged 1.8 million viewers, peaking at 2.1 million.

[10/02/25 - 03:01 PM]
Video: "Twisted Wonderland" - Trailer - Disney+
Your favorite villains reimagined in ways you've never dared to dream.

[10/02/25 - 02:51 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting Day One of MLB Wild Card Series
Coverage of Red Sox versus Yankees averaged 6.5 million viewers, peaking at 9.9 million.