HBO Max to be rebranded as ‘Max’ and integrate with Discovery+ on May 23rd, according to Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). The move will see content from Discovery+ being incorporated into the platform, making it more of a one-stop-shop for users, although Discovery+ will remain a separate service in the US. WBD CEO David Zaslav has suggested that the company plans to include sports and other live content in the coming months, with more than 40 new titles and TV show seasons being added each month. The rebranded platform will have a new video playback experience, personalized content, and a default kids profile with parental controls for new subscribers. Existing users’ data, preferences, and account info will migrate seamlessly over to Max, and current subscribers will have access to their current plan features for at least six months after the launch.
The new pricing structure will include three tiers: an ad-supported plan for $10 per month or $100 per year, an ad-free plan for $16 per month or $150 per year, and a new “ultimate ad-free” plan for $20 per month or $200 per year, which will support 4K streaming.
WBD has highlighted several new original content titles that are coming to Max, including The Penguin, an eight-episode miniseries that ties into The Batman, and a Harry Potter show that will take a decade to retell the stories in “a faithful adaptation” of the novels. The platform will also include new programming from Discovery+, such as reality programming featuring Robert Downey Jr. and snowboarder and skateboarder Shaun White.
The rebranding of HBO Max to ‘Max’ has strategic reasoning behind it, as it nods towards a more expansive array of shows, movies, and other content. The decision to remove HBO from the platform’s name has reportedly been driven by concerns from executives that keeping the brand could weaken its association with quality content. However, the move has also been criticized for stripping away the name value of HBO and the level of quality that has been associated with the brand for decades.
