WarnerMedia announced Thursday that “Sesame Street” would be heading to its new streaming service, HBO Max.
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind the series, will now have five seasons, and each comes with 35 episodes, which will air on the streaming service.
The show begins in 2020.
HBO Max will also air annual “Sesame Street” specials, including four new related series, including a talk show called “The Not Too Late Show with Elmo,” according to Entertainment Weekly. Subscribers to the streaming service will also be able to access the 50-year library of the show.
While the show will be available on HBO Max, it will also still be available on PBS Kids, according to Deadline. New content created specifically for the deal between HBO Max and “Sesame Street” will also be available on PBS Kids after it airs on HBO Max.
New content will include an animated special called “The Monster at the End of This Show” (based on Jon Stone’s “The Monster at the End of this Book”), “The Not Too Late Show with Elmo,” and two new animated series. One of the shows is called “Mecha Builders” and another has not yet been announced — plus a docuseries that will cover issues between kids and families from a child’s perspective and a new season of “Esme & Roy.”
According to CNN, new kids’ content on HBO Max will help attract potential subscribers choosing between streaming services. WarnerMedia will need a library that can rival that of Disney Plus, the streaming service owned by the Walt Disney Company, CNN reports.
“‘Sesame Street’ is, and always has been, the gold standard for children’s programming,” Robert Greenblatt, chairman of WarnerMedia entertainment, said in a statement. “This brand is synonymous with quality and integrity, not to mention that nothing is more important than educating young new minds. This landmark deal perfectly illustrates the type of quality programming HBO Max will offer across every demographic.”