Warner Bros. Discovery Announces HBO Max Rebranding This Summer

NEW YORK, NY – Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announced today during its Upfront presentation that its streaming service, Max, will revert to its previous name, HBO Max, this summer.

WBD’s streaming service has gained significant momentum, increasing profitability by nearly $3 billion over the last two years. With the addition of 22 million subscribers in the past year, the company is on track to exceed 150 million subscribers by the end of 2026.

David Zaslav, President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, stated, “The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming. Today, we are bringing back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in media, to further accelerate that growth in the years ahead.”

The rebranding to HBO Max aims to emphasize the quality of programming over quantity. Zaslav noted that changing consumer preferences have driven this decision, as most viewers are looking for better content rather than more content.

JB Perrette, President and CEO of Streaming at WBD, highlighted that the focus is on providing distinct and engaging programming for adults and families. “It’s really not subjective, not even controversial – our programming just hits different,” he said.

Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, commented on the shift, saying, “With the course we are on and strong momentum we are enjoying, we believe HBO Max far better represents our current consumer proposition.” He also stated that the name signifies content worth paying for.

HBO Max, launched in 2020, aimed to combine HBO’s prestige with a broader range of content. Its initial rebranding to Max came in 2023 after the merger of Discovery Communications and WarnerMedia.

There has been no specific date given for the rebranding this summer, but WBD is confident that returning to the HBO brand will further benefit their strategy.