HBO Max has released a new brand teaser highlighting its 2026 programming slate, and while it’s designed as a broad-strokes showcase, there are a few moments that resonate — especially with longtime fans.
Between first looks at Euphoria Season 3, House of the Dragon Season 3, Lanterns, and more, the teaser works less as a hype reel and more as a reminder that, with the impending sale of Warner Bros. on everyone’s mind, HBO and HBO Max are very much back in the business of event television.
The teaser opens with House of the Dragon‘s Corlys Velaryon delivering a familiar warning about choice and consequence, followed by Alicent Hightower ominously foreshadowing what’s to come for Rhaenyra.
It’s brief, but it reinforces that Season 3 isn’t pulling punches, with the Dance of the Dragons still very much spiraling toward something ugly.
From there, Euphoria Season 3 makes its presence known through Rue Bennett’s reflective voiceover, paired with flashes of familiar faces in moments that feel restless, reckless, and unresolved.
Rue’s line — “There’s no turning back” — lands like a thesis statement for a show that’s never pretended healing is neat or linear.
It’s not a whole scene, but it’s enough to signal that the series is leaning back into its emotional unease rather than away from it.
But arguably the most reassuring moment in the entire teaser comes courtesy of Industry — specifically Myha’la’s Harper Stern.
For fans who’ve worried that Harper might be sidelined as the show expands its world, the footage suggests the opposite.
Harper isn’t just present; she’s unmistakably in control.
Her blunt declaration — “Do you know why I do this? Because I enjoy it. And I’m fucking good at it!” — feels like a direct response to those concerns.
Harper has always been the show’s most volatile, fascinating force, and this moment suggests Industry Season 4 isn’t interested in dulling that edge.
If anything, it looks like she’s doubling down.
Elsewhere, the teaser sprinkles in first glimpses of Lanterns, with Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart hinting at a mentor-student dynamic rooted in discipline and consequence.
And the consequence of driving John Stewart directly off a cliff is the spectacle we deserve from this long-awaited pairing.
There are also lighter notes, including footage from Lisa Kudrow’s The Comeback Season 3, and Larry David’s still-untitled sketch series, which feels chaotic even in a few seconds of screen time.
Steve Carell returns to the small screen in Rooster, a comedy about an author’s intricate bond with his daughter, set against the backdrop of a college campus.
We also get a first peek at DTF St. Louis’s Jason Bateman and David Harbour explaining the DTF in the series name, and the line we can’t wait to hear from The Pitt Season 2: “And so it begins.”
With so much up in the air, it’s a remarkable feeling to be back in the game.
Beyond the content itself, HBO Max is also using this moment to spotlight a new way for viewers to engage with its library.
The platform has begun rolling out curated in-app “channels” for select U.S. users, offering continuous streams built around fan-favorite shows and genres — think Friends, The Sopranos, DC properties, and even a dedicated “World of Westeros” feed.
It’s a slight but smart shift toward frictionless viewing for anyone who just wants to press play and let HBO Max decide what comes next.
Taken together, the teaser isn’t about overwhelming viewers with details.
It’s about tone, confidence, and reassurance.
The big swings are still coming. The characters people care about continue to drive the stories. And yes — Harper Stern is still very much doing things her way.
Did any of the upcoming HBO family of shows catch your attention?
Tell us what you’re adding to your TV lineup!
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The post HBO Max’s New Teaser Gives Us a Lot to Look Forward to, Including Euphoria, Lanterns, and a Much-Needed Harper Stern Moment appeared first on TV Fanatic.