MGM's Epix joins the streaming wars with a new app and more original series

The battle to claim the streaming throne continues to heat up. This time it's with the launch of Epix Now, which is essentially the MGM-owned premium cable company's exact copy of HBO Now.

Starting on Feb. 10, you can subscribe to Epix Now for $5.99 a month for access to a substantial library of classic and blockbuster films, live TV, and a slowly growing catalog of originals. For now, the app is only available on Apple TV, iOS, and Android. Later, it'll come to Roku and Amazon Fire TV.

The app comes in tandem with the roll-out of the network's slate of new original series, including an origin story show about Batman’s butler called Pennyworth; the Forest Whitaker-starring Godfather of Harlem; the biblical noir featuring Sir Ben Kingsley, Perpetual Grace, LTD.; the Iggy Pop docu-series PUNK; and a docu-series on famous filmmakers titled Elvis Goes There, featuring longtime critic Elvis Mitchell.

These new originals come in addition to returning seasons of Epix's already established shows, like Get Shorty, Berlin Station, and Deep State.

The network also announced that it's working on a TV adaptation of Slate's hit 2017 political podcast, Slow Burn, to be released in late 2019. Like the podcast, Season 1 will tell the story of Nixon's Watergate crisis while making parallels to today's political scandals.

In a press release, Epix President Michael Wright said, “Launching Epix Now and providing consumers nationwide with access to our premium original programming and blockbuster movies is an exciting moment for our company and solidifies our commitment to bring high-level storytelling to as many people as possible. We look forward to welcoming new audiences to our network."