Ellen DeGeneres partners with HBO Max, announces four new series
HBO Max is getting a whole lot of Ellen DeGeneres.
On Friday’s episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the talk show host announced she’s partnered with the forthcoming streaming platform on three new series, with a four in development: Ellen’s Home Design Challenge, First Dates Hotel, and Little Ellen, and the in-the-works docuseries Finding Einstein.
The first one sees DeGeneres “giving eight forward-thinking designers the chance to push their creativity to the limit,” according to a description. “DeGeneres will be on hand to weigh in on each challenge and provide humorous, colorful commentary.” DeGeneres executive produces with Jeff Kleeman and Arthur Smith. (She previous headlined and executive-produced the 15-episode HGTV series Ellen’s Design Challenge, which debuted in 2015.)
First Dates Hotel is a matchmaking series set at an affluent boutique hotel where “single people from multiple generations” will gather “for an intensive and tailor-made romantic experience.” If the singles have a good time on their dates within the hotel, they can choose to stay on for a second date to see if they’re a match.
The series is a play on the U.K. series First Dates and First Dates Hotel, past seasons of which will also be available on HBO Max.
Little Ellen, ordered with 40 half-hour episodes, is a 2D animated kid’s show that “explores the world through the eyes of a hilarious and unpredictable 7-year-old Ellen DeGeneres,” based in her “musical” hometown of New Orleans.
Finding Einstein is the sole docuseries in this order, which has been “blessed by the Einstein estate.” Still in development, the project aims to “seek out, celebrate, and support a fresh generation of Einsteins.”
In celebration of the news, DeGeneres gave everyone in her audience free two-year subscriptions to HBO Max.
“Ellen is a singular talent, and a powerhouse, creative triple-threat that we are lucky to have now bringing her talents to bear on behalf of HBO Max,” Kevin Reilly, chief content officer at HBO Max and president of TNT, TBS, and truTV, said in a statement. “Ellen’s flair for home design and matchmaking will most certainly inspire and delight – but HBO Max is full service, so as not to leave the kids out she’s bringing them back to the hilarious misadventures of her childhood in an imaginative animated series.”
“I’m very excited to bring my new shows to HBO Max,” DeGeneres added. “I don’t know who Max is, but I can’t wait to work with him.”
HBO Max will debut in spring 2020.
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