HBO Max Rebrands Back to Max, Warner Bros. Discovery Reveals

Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that Max will revert to its former name, HBO Max, starting this summer. This surprising rebrand comes just two years after HBO Max was initially renamed to Max. HBO Max is the streaming platform renowned for hosting acclaimed series such as *Game of Thrones*, *The White Lotus*, *The Sopranos*, *The Last of Us*, *House of the Dragon*, and *The Penguin*.

In announcing the change, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) highlighted the remarkable turnaround of its streaming business, which has achieved nearly $3 billion in profitability within the past two years. The service has also seen significant global expansion, adding 22 million subscribers over the last year. WBD projects a "clear path" to surpassing 150 million subscribers by the end of 2026. This growth, according to the company, is the result of strategic focus on high-performing content such as HBO productions, recent box-office hits, docuseries, select reality series, and both Max and local originals, while de-emphasizing genres with lower engagement and acquisition rates.

The decision to revert to HBO Max is driven by the strong association of the HBO brand with premium, unique, and "worth paying for" content. This move is particularly timely as consumers increasingly seek quality over quantity amid a crowded streaming market. WBD emphasized that consumer preferences have shifted away from wanting more content and towards desiring better content. By focusing on quality and distinctive storytelling, HBO has established itself as a leader in this arena over the last 50 years.

The reintroduction of the HBO brand into HBO Max is intended to propel the service forward and enhance its unique value proposition. This decision also reflects WBD's commitment to continually refine its strategy based on consumer data and insights to ensure long-term success.

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."

JB Perrette, President and CEO of Streaming, added, "We will continue to focus on what makes us unique – 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."

Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, remarked, "With the course we are on and strong momentum we are enjoying, we believe HBO Max far better represents our current consumer proposition. 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."