James Gunn, John Cena Surprised by HBO Max Rebrand

DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn and the Peacemaker team were caught off guard while filming promotional content for Season 2, as Warner Bros. Discovery announced the return of the HBO Max name. The surprising news left everyone, including Gunn and star John Cena, visibly confused and amused.

The decision to revert the streaming service's name from Max back to HBO Max was revealed earlier today, causing a stir not just among subscribers but also within the DC Studios crew. The soon-to-be-renamed Max's official X account quickly shared the candid reactions of Gunn and Cena, who were in the midst of promoting Peacemaker Season 2, set to debut on August 21.

As Gunn read from a teleprompter, he stumbled upon the unexpected mention of HBO Max instead of Max. His bewilderment was palpable as he questioned, "God, we're calling it HBO Max – what? We're calling it HBO Max again?" Other crew members, including DC Studios Co-CEO Peter Safran, joined in the confusion, turning the moment into a humorous spectacle. Gunn, however, expressed his approval of the change, stating, "That's good, actually, but I didn't know that was happening."

In contrast, Cena appeared to be in the know and even took the opportunity to inform others behind the camera about the rebrand, adding to the light-hearted chaos of the situation.

While some might speculate that this could be a clever publicity stunt by the HBO Max team, the genuine reactions from the DC Studios crew provided a humorous glimpse into the behind-the-scenes impact of the streaming service's latest name change.

HBO Max initially launched in 2020, offering a wide range of streaming content until its rebranding to Max in 2023 by the newly merged Warner Bros. Discovery. After two years of adjusting to the new name, the company has decided to revert to HBO Max, a decision that has certainly caught the attention of fans and industry insiders alike.

No specific date for the rebrand has been set yet. As we await further updates on both HBO Max and Peacemaker Season 2, you can explore the most anticipated DC projects slated for 2025 and delve into our key insights from the latest Peacemaker Season 2 trailer.