Max is now HBO Max. Again.
No, I'm not joking. Less than two years after Warner Bros. Discovery changed the streaming service and ditched the HBO brand name, they've finally come to their senses and admitted that maybe HBO is why people want Max.
The move was announced today (May 14) in a press release, alongside a presentation by David Zaslav, President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery JB Perrette, WBD President and CEO of Streaming, and Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, at WBD's upfront presentation to advertisers.
Here's what the executives had to say about the decision to switch back to HBO Max.
WBD executives on the HBO Max rebrand
First up was Zaslav, who was the main driver behind the original move away from HBO Max to Max, on why WBD changed back
“The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming," he told those at the upfront presentation. "Today, we are bringing back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in media, to further accelerate that growth in the years ahead.”
"We will continue to focus on what makes us unique," added Perette. "Not everything for everyone in a household, but something distinct and great for adults and families. It’s really not subjective, not even controversial – our programming just hits different."
Finally, Bloys added his own thoughts on the matter. "With the course we are on and strong momentum we are enjoying, we believe HBO Max far better represents our current consumer proposition," he said. "And it clearly states our implicit promise to deliver content that is recognized as unique and, to steal a line we always said at HBO, worth paying for."
What the shift back to HBO Max means for you
At present, the rebranding means nothing for most of you reading this.
Sometime this summer, all your Max apps will rebrand to HBO Max, something that already began when WBD ditched the Max purple color scheme for HBO's classic black-and-white.
But no price changes came with the announcement, nor the addition or removal of any features or content from the streaming service.
Changes are coming, though. WBD has already announced that an HBO Max password-sharing crackdown is coming in the next 12-18 months. And there are rumors that WBD will spin off its linear cable assets (think Food Network, TBS, etc.).
But for now, all that's changing is you having to remember that HBO Max isn't Max anymore — it's HBO Max. Good luck.
Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.
Here's what he's been watching lately:
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