Here's What To Expect From Jon Stewart's HBO Deal

Huge, huge, massive news on Tuesday! Jon Stewart is coming out of retirement! He's signed a four-year deal to produce content especially for HBO. This is a major deal for Stewart and HBO, and the official statement says "The partnership marks the next phase of Stewart’s groundbreaking career, beginning with short-form digital content, which will be showcased on HBO NOW, HBO GO and other platforms, and includes a first-look option for other film and TV ventures." It sounds totally exciting, mysterious, and like nothing we've experienced before from Stewart. Based on that announcement, it's safe to say that HBO are keen to develop many new projects with Jon Stewart over the years, and that's truly exciting news for all of our futures.

In the official announcement, Stewart also says, “Appearing on television 22 minutes a night clearly broke me. I’m pretty sure I can produce a few minutes of content every now and again.” Taking on this different role, and creating unique content for a specific platform, is obviously a part of what appealed to Stewart. Engadget speculate that this new content "means Snapchats, Periscopes and Vines, but who knows?" At the moment, it's anyone's guess exactly what format Jon Stewart's new work with HBO will take. But, in the meantime, what else can we expect from his post-retirement output?

1. Jon Stewart Is Working With OTOY

OTOY are an award-winning technology company, whose motion-capture device has revolutionized movies such Spider-Man 3, Fantastic Four, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. They're obviously a really forward-thinking company, so pairing them with Stewart to create brand new work is actually really exciting.

2. Short, Punchy Content

Although Stewart's wry humor is totally present when he says, "I’m pretty sure I can produce a few minutes of content every now and again," there's something to be said for short, timely content, which utilizes the sort of sound-byte technologies we use every day. Bitesize Jon Stewart is defs something to look forward to.

3. Famous Friends

Obviously, this is very much dependent on other people's contracts, but surely some of Stewart's famous friends will turn up now and again on his new ventures? All those moments we thought we'd never see again, of Stewart sipping tea with Stephen Colbert, for instance, might be coming once more. Rejoice!

4. Crossovers With Other HBO Stalwarts

Jon Stewart knows, like, everybody anyway, but perhaps being on the books at HBO will lead to some fruitful collaborations or crossover projects. With writers and actors like Lena Dunham and Julia Louis-Dreyfus at HBO, there is plenty of potential for exciting new work to marinate.

5. Surprises

So much about HBO's announcement so far has been mysterious, keeping tightly under wraps what we should actually expect from Jon Stewart's new work. As if waiting for your birthday isn't bad enough, now you've got to wait until they announce more details about this deal. (Note to self: Must. Work. On. Patience.)

6. The Internet Is Our Friend

With the promise of "short-form digital content" from Stewart as he embarks on his four-year contract with HBO, there are a lot of possibilities for the work, and an apparent understanding of how we digest media content right now. Making short, unique digital content is a smart move for Stewart, as is making it both accessible and exclusive simultaneously.

Incredible news, and now so much more to look forward to in life. Thank you HBO & Jon Stewart! The world is a little brighter tonight.

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