- I'm shocked

A scene from the first season of the Norwegian science fiction series “Beforeigners”. The series has now been removed from HBO Max. Photo: Christopher Eliassen / HBO Europe / NTB

Director Jens Lien says the Norwegian series “Beforeigners” has been removed from streaming service HBO Max.

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– It’s unbelievably unfortunate, and it’s very confusing why this happens, he tells VG.

He says he understands the decision as a gambit to get a new business plan for HBO Max and Discovery+. In April, the two owners, Warner Media and Discovery, were merged into a single company under the name Warner Bros. Discovery.

According to the plan, the company will provide three billion dollars, about 30 billion Norwegian kroner, as part of the merger.

– Lien says that one has to pull down a chain of billions to lay the foundation for new opportunities, it is not easy to understand.

Shocked: “Beforeigners” director Jens Lane. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB

HBO won’t confirm that the series has been removed, but says in a statement that the power supply is being continually evaluated.

In preparations for the upcoming merger between HBO Max and Discovery+, we are constantly evaluating and tuning the offerings of both streaming services. Part of this process includes removing selected content, HBO Max writes in a statement to VG.

It appears that the “Welcome to Outfield” series has also been removed from HBO Max. VG has attempted to contact the Norwegian producers at Paradox, but has yet to receive a response.

– I was shocked

On Monday, it became known that HBO Will cut off the production of the North Series. It was announced that they would no longer produce their own original series in the Nordic and Central European countries, as well as the Netherlands and Turkey diverse. At the same time, they will also remove content from the platform to free up money.

Software already in production should not be affected. According to Variety, some projects that have not been publicly disclosed will also be allowed to continue.

“Beforeigners” has now been removed from HBO Max. Here, actors, producers, and directors gather on the opera rooftop in 2019. Photo: Ola Vatn / NTB

In 2019, “Beforeigners” was the first HBO Norwegian series.

Lien was informed that the series, which features Nicolai Cleve Broch in the lead role, was due to be removed a week earlier. It is not yet known if the series will be available elsewhere.

– I was very shocked by what happened. Lian says I just hope the result will be good.

I don’t know what the final plans are. I just know it won’t be brought back to HBO.

hoping for a solution

The series is the so-called HBO Original Series produced by and for HBO. The first season of the science fiction series came in 2019, while the second season premiered in December of last year.

Lien is now receiving messages from fans who have a few episodes left of the series and who suddenly haven’t been able to see the series finished.

– This is sad first of all for the “Beforeigners” fans who miss the chance to watch the series. I sincerely hope it’s a solution that gives us the opportunity to show it another way, he says.

From left: Producer Eilif Skodvin, Producer Anne Bjørnstad and Director Jens Lien on the HBO Originals series “Beforeigners.” Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB

– Refinement Offers

On Monday, HBO also said in a statement that it will consider whether the series currently in production will be available on the streaming platform or whether it can be entered into other charts.

In addition to the Norwegian series, a number of other series have been affected. Swedish series “Lust” with Sophia Healing and Julia Dovinius has been removed from the platform, writes Aftonbladet.

The Danish series “Kamikaze” has also been mentioned by Variety as one of the great successes of the Scandinavian segment of HBO. On Tuesday, it appears that this chain has also been removed from the platform.