Earlier this month the Brooklyn Academy of Music showed a restored version of Gregory Nava’s Selena, the biopic that’s become a classic about the rise and murder of Tejana singer Selena Quintanilla Perez. This comes hot on the heels of the upcoming Selena for Sanctuary concert in Los Angeles benefitting immigrant rights.
But when BAM did its screening it was unclear if this meant that a restoration would be happening for home video release. And while there’s no update on that front we do know where audiences will be able to stream it. HBO Max, the new streaming service launching in May of 2020 via Warner Media, released a trailer of the movies and programs you’ll be able to watch on their platform and during the clip Jennifer Lopez’s performance as Selena was shown a handful of times.
So this officially means that Selena will be available on HBO Max and it looks to be the only place to stream it. A cursory search of the film shows it’s not available on Netflix, Hulu, or other streaming services and can only be purchased for download. Selena will be one of over 10,000 hours of content, ranging from classic films to new original series.
Selena was released in 1997, grossing over $11 million in the U.S. and hitting No. 2 at the box office. The critical response was mixed, but launched the career of actress Jennifer Lopez and has become one of the best-known features directed by a Latino. Netflix is already planning a scripted series based on the singer’s life though there’s been no update on the expected release date.