Warner Bros. Discovery remains steadfast in its desire to rebrand HBO Max by potentially removing the first half of that moniker.
According to The Wrap, the studio is considering removing "HBO" from the name "HBO Max" over concern that "the HBO name turns off many potential subscribers," which may strike some as peculiar given the title of HBO has become synonymous with high-end, award-winning programming such as The Sopranos, The Wire and Game of Thrones. Warner Bros. Discovery's rebranding of its flagship streaming service comes ahead of its plan to combine HBO Max and Discovery+, which has long been in the works.
"Max" has been the suspected frontrunner for the combined streamer's name since December 2022, though it was reported at the time that the company was referring to the new streaming service internally as "BEAM." In a recent earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav revealed the streamer's new name will be unveiled on April 12.
Streamers Search for Brand Identity
Several studios have taken to rebranding their respective streaming services thanks to mergers and the desire to cultivate strong brand identities. Following Paramount Global's acquisition of Showtime, the company rebranded its streaming service Paramount+ with Showtime, opting to keep both names intact. Paramount+, the streamer's name before its merger with Showtime, was previously adopted in March 2021 as a replacement for CBS All Access when Paramount Global was still known as ViacomCBS.
Discovery made a similar move when acquiring Warner Bros. in April 2022, choosing the combined name Warner Bros. Discovery, though the company is expected to take a different approach with its consolidation of HBO Max and Discovery+. The new name is expected to come with a new ad tier, offering customers a variety of price options. The yet-to-be-named streamer will continue to charge $15-$16 per month for the ad-free version, around $20 a month for a higher-priced tier with improved video quality and other high-end features and $10 a month for a cheaper, ad-supported level.
Shake-Ups at Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery announced in February that customers will have the option to purchase their new combined service or remain standalone subscribers to Discovery+. The move is believed to help the company retain subscribers who would otherwise move away from the combined service due to the impending price increase.
The company has also been canceling and removing several titles from their services ahead of the merger, including programs like Westworld, Raised by Wolves, The Nevers, The Time Traveler's Wife, Legendary, FBoy Island, Finding Magic Mike and Head of the Class, many of which have migrated to streamers like Tubi and Roku. As a result of these content cuts, in addition to layoffs at HBO Max, several executives at Warner Bros. Discovery, such as Zaslav, are expected to receive large bonuses.
Warner Bros. Discovery's combined streaming platform will launch in Spring 2023.
Source: The Wrap