The verified Twitter account of Disney+ Hotstar, an OTT platform, has announced that it will discontinue broadcasting HBO content in India after March 31. The Twitter handle, in a response to a tweet wrote, ‘You can continue enjoying Disney+ Hotstar’s vast library of content spanning over 100,000 hours of TV Shows and Movies in 10 languages and coverage of major global sporting events.’

The rivalry between Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming services in India is intensifying, and Disney+ Hotstar may experience more losses in its number of subscribers due to the removal of HBO content.

At the end of October 2022, Disney+ Hotstar had 61.3 million subscribers. However, during the December quarter, there was a decline of 6% or 3.8 million subscribers, resulting in a total of 57.5 million subscribers. While the Indian Premier League (IPL) was the primary content for Disney+ Hotstar, the platform also offered popular HBO shows such as Game of Thrones (GoT), along with its prequel House of The Dragon and The Last of Us.

Additionally, as HBO Max has not yet been introduced in India, binge on these shows before HBO leaves Disney+ Hotstar. Here’s a list of some of the best sci-fi TV shows and movies to watch by March 31.

Westworld

In a world that blends elements of the future and past, there exists a place where human desires can be fulfilled without any negative consequences. This is the premise of Westworld, a TV series that debuted on HBO in 2016. The show is centred around an elaborate theme park that resembles the American Wild West, filled with humanoid robots, called hosts, who cater to the guests’ whims. The park is designed so that guests can indulge in their deepest desires without the fear of being harmed by the hosts. 

As the series progresses, it expands to show the real world in the mid-21st century, where an AI named Rehoboam controls and dictates people’s lives. 

Westworld’s fourth and final season premiered on June 26, 2022, and concluded on August 14, 2022.

Dream Raider

Detective Li Xiao turns to an unlikely pair, disgraced professor Dr Tian-Li Cheng and his estranged daughter An-Ya, to help solve a string of mind-bending crimes. Dr Cheng, who is serving time in prison, has created a groundbreaking machine that can access dreams and uncover hidden clues. 

https://www.hbo.com/dream-raider/season-1/1-prisoner-4894

With their lives on the line, the Dream Raiders must work together to catch a mysterious criminal. As they delve deeper into the human mind, they must overcome personal differences and push boundaries to solve the case.

Watchmen

Set in an alternate history where masked vigilantes are treated as outlaws, this epic series from Damon Lindelof (Lost; HBO’s The Leftovers) embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name, while attempting to break new ground of its own. Regina King stars as a lead detective in the Tulsa Police Force and a wife and mother of three.

Despite its phenomenal reviews and IMDB rating of 8.2/10, it never returned for a second season.

His Dark Materials

From Philip Pullman’s epic His Dark Materials fantasy trilogy (which consists of the books The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass) comes this compelling HBO Original series that follows young orphan Lyra (Dafne Keen) on an incredible adventure into a parallel world where a human’s soul exists outside one’s body — in the form of a talking animal.

The captivating HBO Original series takes inspiration from Philip Pullman’s grand His Dark Materials fantasy trilogy. The show follows the journey of a young orphan named Lyra, played by Dafne Keen, who embarks on a remarkable adventure into a parallel universe. 

In this world, a human’s soul exists outside the body as a talking animal, leading Lyra on a fascinating journey of self-discovery. The trilogy comprises The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass.

Avenue 5

Join the uproarious adventure through space with Avenue 5, the HBO comedy series created by Armando Iannucci, the mind behind HBO’s Veep. Set four decades ahead when space travel is a lucrative industry, the show is centred around the luxurious Avenue 5 spacecraft that operates as a fusion of a cruise ship and interplanetary vessel. Follow the lives of the passengers and crew as they embark on an unforgettable journey through the universe. The series stars the talented Hugh Laurie.