Buyer Database · Streaming Platform · Updated
Hbo
HBO is actively greenlighting premium drama and documentary acquisitions, anchored by a slate of returning tentpole series and a recent two-year overall deal with writer Francesca Sloane.
Current mandate
HBO is currently in an active production and development phase across its premium drama portfolio. The Last of Us has won eight Emmys and is moving into a new production cycle; White Lotus is casting up for another season; and Harry Potter has been officially greenlit for a second season covering Chamber of Secrets. The Gilded Age, renewed for a third season after a period of uncertainty, is set to begin filming in June-July. Across 11 series, HBO/Max won 31 Emmys, reinforcing the network's position as the dominant awards-season player in prestige television.
Over the past 12 months, HBO's acquisition pattern has leaned toward talent-anchored overall deals, music documentary, and scripted comedy. The September 2025 two-year overall deal with Francesca Sloane signals continued investment in writer-driven development. Documentary acquisitions including an Earth, Wind and Fire documentary (October 2025) and the John and Yoko film One to One (October 2025) reflect a parallel nonfiction strand. The American adaptation of Call My Agent with a sports twist (November 2025) points to ongoing interest in format adaptations. Strike-related production delays have clustered multiple high-profile dramas into the same awards window, reinforcing HBO's strategy of leaning on premium, talent-driven series.
Writers and producers seeking access to HBO should prioritize relationships with tracked decision makers, of which 397 are currently active in the system. The network's recent overall deal activity suggests that writer-first relationships are a primary development pathway. Submissions through representation remain the standard route; the 90-day deal velocity of four transactions indicates a measured but consistent acquisition pace.
Signature peaks
- Francesca Sloane Overall Deal (Writer) — Two-year overall deal signed September 2025
- Harry Potter S2 Series Greenlit — Chamber of Secrets officially greenlit as of May 2026
- 2 titles (90d) Documentary Acquisitions — Earth Wind and Fire doc (Oct 2025) and One to One: John and Yoko (Oct 2025)
Mandate dimensions
- Genre focus
- drama, comedy, thriller
- Territory focus
- domestic
- Budget tier (observed)
- Not disclosed
- Access pattern
- HBO's primary access pathway runs through representation. The network's recent overall deal with Francesca Sloane (September 2025) confirms that writer-executive relationships are a core development mechanism. With 397 tracked decision makers, the internal network is broad; navigating it effectively requires either existing relationships or agency-level introductions. Documentary and nonfiction projects may find an additional pathway through HBO's active acquisitions strand, which has taken in multiple music and investigative documentary titles in the past 12 months.
- Deal structure
- All recent acquisitions are listed as undisclosed budget. Deal types span two-year overall writer deals (Francesca Sloane, September 2025), series greenlights (Harry Potter Season 2, May 2026), format adaptations (Call My Agent American adaptation, November 2025), and documentary acquisitions (One to One: John and Yoko; Earth, Wind and Fire documentary, both October 2025). No specific financial terms have been made public across any tracked transaction.
Recent acquisitions
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Call My Agent (American adaptation with sports twist)
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Curb Your Enthusiasm - sold to TV Guide Channel
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Earth, Wind & Fire documentary (untitled)
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Entourage - sold to Spike
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Francesca Sloane two-year overall deal with HBO
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Harry Potter Season 2 (Chamber of Secrets)
The network has officially greenlit Harry Potter for a second season.
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HBO
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I Love LA
Market context
We've got True Detective with Jodie Foster, and wait til you see Kate Winslet in The Regime and Robert Downey Jr. in The Sympathizer. We've done a lot of really, really great and cool shows I'm excited about.
Aligns with ongoing prestige streaming demand for true-crime/historical institutional drama (MKUltra, CIA narratives).
Common questions about Hbo
Does HBO accept unsolicited scripts?
HBO does not have a publicized open-door policy for unsolicited material. The network's recent activity, including a two-year overall deal with writer Francesca Sloane signed in September 2025, suggests that writer-first relationships and representation-backed submissions are the primary development pathway. Writers without existing industry relationships should seek literary representation before approaching HBO's development executives. The 397 tracked decision makers in the system represent a broad internal network to navigate.
What budgets does HBO work with?
Budget figures for HBO acquisitions are not publicly disclosed across recent deal records. However, the scale of current productions, including The Last of Us (which won eight Emmys and is in a new production cycle) and the Harry Potter series greenlit for a second season, indicates a consistent appetite for high-budget, premium productions. Smaller-scale acquisitions such as comedy specials and documentary titles also appear in the recent slate, suggesting a tiered budget approach depending on format and talent.
Does HBO acquire films or projects from festivals?
HBO's recent acquisition record includes documentary titles such as One to One: John and Yoko (acquired October 2025) and an Earth, Wind and Fire documentary (acquired October 2025), both of which are consistent with the kind of prestige nonfiction that circulates through major documentary festivals. While no specific festival acquisition is explicitly noted in recent records, HBO's nonfiction strand and its history with prestige documentary content make festival-sourced projects a plausible entry point, particularly for music and investigative documentary formats.
How do I reach HBO as a buyer or distributor?
HBO has 397 decision makers currently tracked in the ScriptMatch system, representing a wide internal network spanning development, programming, and acquisitions. The most reliable access pathway is through established literary or talent representation. Recent overall deal activity, such as the Francesca Sloane two-year deal signed September 2025, confirms that writer-executive relationships are a core development mechanism. The network's 90-day deal velocity of four transactions suggests a selective but active acquisitions posture.
What genres is HBO prioritizing right now?
HBO's current slate is weighted toward premium drama (The Last of Us, White Lotus, The Gilded Age, House of the Dragon, Euphoria), prestige limited series with major talent attachments (True Detective with Jodie Foster, The Regime with Kate Winslet, The Sympathizer with Robert Downey Jr.), and music documentary. A comedy special (In Love, acquired April 2026) and a format adaptation with a sports angle (Call My Agent American adaptation, November 2025) indicate secondary interest in comedy and unscripted. Investigative docuseries, such as the Ohio State University abuse scandal project, also appear in the pipeline.
Is HBO currently active in acquisitions?
Yes. HBO recorded four unique deals in the past 90 days and carries a 30-day deal velocity of two, according to current tracking data. The most recent signal is dated June 26, 2026. Active projects include the greenlit Harry Potter Season 2 (Chamber of Secrets), The Gilded Age Season 3 set to begin filming in June-July, and The Last of Us moving into a new production phase. The Francesca Sloane overall deal and multiple documentary acquisitions in late 2025 confirm sustained acquisition activity across scripted and nonfiction formats.
Adjacent buyers in this lane
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- Disney+ — Disney+ is consolidating its platform footprint through the full Hulu integration, a landmark OpenAI
- Hulu — Hulu is actively acquiring across documentary, reality, comedy, and animation while its ownership st
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