HBO Max Is Back as Warner Bros. Discovery Rebrands Streaming Service – Again

First it was HBO Go, then it was HBO Now, followed by HBO Max and ultimately just Max. But now, Warner Bros. Discovery is rebranding its streaming service yet again to: HBO Max (Yes, you read that right).

The media giant’s move, which was announced during its upfront presentation to advertisers on Wednesday and will take effect this summer, is based on refocusing its streaming strategy on “the programming that is working best” — including HBO, box office movies, docuseries, certain reality series and Max originals, as well as deprioritizing other genres that the company says drive less engagement or acquisition.  

WBD also was influenced by “changing consumer needs, and the fact that no  consumer today is saying they want more content, but most consumers are saying they want better content.”

Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming business has grown to 122.3 million subscribers globally, adding 22 million subscribers in the last year. It has also been turning the corner on profitability, posting a profit of $339 million during the first quarter of 2025, up from $86 million a year ago. The company’s direct-to-consumer results notably include Max, Discovery+ and traditional HBO cable subscriptions.

“The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming,” WBD CEO David Zaslav said in a statement. “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 – not everything for everyone in a household, but something distinct and great for adults and families,” streaming chief JB Perrette added. “It’s really not subjective, not even controversial – our programming just hits different.”

Looking ahead, WBD is targeting at least 150 million streaming subscribers by the end of 2026 and anticipates the streaming segment will deliver a profit of approximately $1.3 billion in 2025.

In addition to Max’s international expansion, the company said it would focus on strategic distribution partnerships and driving higher penetration in existing markets with its ad-supported tier to reach that subscriber goal.

It also launched a $7.99 per month “extra member” add-on as it looks to crack down on password sharing. Perrette said during the earnings call that the full rollout would likely be a 12-to-18-month initiative, though he noted that there should be “some benefits” to the company from it in 2025.

“With the course we are on and strong momentum we are enjoying, we believe HBO Max far better represents our current consumer proposition,” HBO CEO Casey Bloys 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.” 

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