This is the first time a streaming provider has
obtained rights to Ghibli's films, WarnerMedia said on Thursday.
Co-founded by master animator Hayao Miyazaki, the studio is
known for its intricate, hand-drawn animation and imaginative
coming-of-age story lines that made films like 1988's "My
Neighbor Totoro" into an international hit.
HBO Max will offer more than a dozen original shows and movies
from stars including Reese Witherspoon and Anna Kendrick, as it
prepares to go head-to-head with rival services from Netflix
Inc, Walt Disney Co and Apple Inc.
Slated to launch in the spring of 2020, HBO Max will also have
programs from AT&T-owned networks such as HBO and TBS and
classics from the Warner Bros film and TV library.
Earlier this year, WarnerMedia said U.S. reruns of the popular
television sitcom "Friends" will move in 2020 from Netflix to
HBO Max.
(Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju
Samuel)
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