Source: Jeff Kravitz / Getty / Max
Do you want to see a dumb idea? Warner Bros Discovery did something nobody wanted them to do dropped HBO from HBO Max, and now, it’s just known as Max.
Wednesday, April 12, during a press event at Stage 14 on its Burbank lot, Warner Bros Discovery officially unveiled Max, which will combine programming from the streaming services formerly known as HBO Max and Discovery, and it will officially go live on May 23.
It will cost potential subscribers $15.99, according to The Verge.
HBO Max changed their name to Max, along with price changes featuring a “Ultimate Ad Free” $19.99/month option pic.twitter.com/Vl3WkumtyG
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) April 12, 2023
“This is a real moment for us … This is our time,” CEO David Zaslav said during his opening remarks.
He continued, “This is our chance, and I feel like, for our company, this is our rendezvous with destiny.”
The rebrand news comes almost a year after the $43 billion Warner Media-Discovery merger closed. 2023 also happens to be the 100th anniversary of the founding of Warner Bros.
According to JB Perrette, President & CEO of Global Streaming & Games, Warner Bros Discovery, the decision to rebrand and put all of the content in one place is to help Max stand out “in a sea of streaming services.”
He continued, “In this era of peak confusion, we’re trying to simplify and improve the experience for consumers.
Twitter Thinks The Rebrand To Max Is A Stupid Idea
There were also announcements of new original programming coming to Max, including another Game of Thrones prequel show, The Penguin, a Harry Potter reboot, and much more.
A century before @GameofThrones, there was Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg.
Executive produced by George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker, Ryan Condal, and Vince Gerardis, A Knight of the #SevenKingdoms: The Hedge Knight has received a straight to series order. #StreamOnMax pic.twitter.com/MRPUke5Upt
— HBO Max (@hbomax) April 12, 2023
The news of the rebrand did not land positively. Variety said in a report that the company’s stock immediately took a hit and was down 6% after the announcement.
Even with the news of all the new shows, Twitter has been roasting Warner Bros Discovery for changing the name of the steaming service.
“Getting rid of the HBO in HBO Max is probably one of the most insane marketing decisions in tv history,” one Twitter user wrote.
You can see more reactions to HBO Max becoming Max in the gallery below.
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Photo: Jeff Kravitz / Getty
1. LOL
HBO max is now Ma. It will exclusively stream the movie Ma and nothing else. pic.twitter.com/T6rbmgRLac
— Sam Rudykoff (@SamRudykoff) April 12, 2023
2. Tears
Dying laughing that the rebrand is from "HBO Max" to "Max is where you can find HBO stuff." pic.twitter.com/Fp4X7t2c4N
— Jeff Zhang 张佶润 (@strangeharbors) April 12, 2023
3. Love the sarcasm
Time Warner is renaming its streaming service HBO Max to Max.
It’s a good move. The “HBO” brand is associated with some of the worst content ever: Sopranos, The Wire, Band of Brothers, Game of Thrones, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep, Deadwood and Silicon Valley.
Good riddance. pic.twitter.com/p7ZD93rkAS
— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) April 12, 2023
4. Facts
The momma named it HBO Max so Imma call it HBO Max https://t.co/yI9RS6bypP pic.twitter.com/G5gp7d0p8u
— Queens Child Project & Tubi Films Project Manager (@SoloChills) April 12, 2023
5.
So HBO: MAX & Discovery+ will combine to create “MAX”…Huh?! pic.twitter.com/xRMh7g74GN
— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) April 12, 2023
6.
peacock, hbo max and discovery+ should merge and create a service called maxcock+
— alan b. | ted lasso spoilers (@beatleebum) April 12, 2023
7.
As we pour one out for the HBO Max brand, it's a great time to remember the original, if fleeting, rebrand for Warner Bros Discovery pic.twitter.com/aHiT1WXvl0
— Matthew Ball (@ballmatthew) April 13, 2023
8.
Cinemax when they see HBO Max’s rebrand: pic.twitter.com/6qUbmJywtt
— Dustin Brewer (@dstnbrwr) April 12, 2023
9.
i love how absolutely everyone, even people who have zero marketing experience, collectively agrees the HBO Max → "Max" rebrand is awful.
— george (@gtinari) April 13, 2023
10.
This HBO Max thing is the worst rebrand since UNCC thought we’d call it Charlotte.
— Jeff Taylor (@jefftaylorhuman) April 13, 2023
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