Warner Bros. Discovery taking HBO to the Max…again

Warner Bros. returns HBO name to its streaming service

Proving things can come full circle in media, Warner Bros. Discovery announced they were rebranding its streaming service from Max back to HBO Max, as it is focusing on quality instead of quantity as it continues to reduce the number of titles on its platform.

So why the name change? Again?

“The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming,” said David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, 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.”

Announced in 2019, HBO Max was launched with a wealth of content from the Warner Bros. studio, with everything from Superman to Looney Tunes, and removed the HBO name in 2023. However, the global conglomerate has made controversial budget cuts in the last few years, from shelving theatrical movies to removing content from the streamer. WBD has also steered away from family programming, removing Looney Tunes and other fare, including former and current Cartoon Network shows. Recently, it decided not to renew Sesame Street, a longtime PBS staple. 

Warner has undergone ownership changes, from AT&T when HBO Max launched to Discovery taking over the studio. Since being renamed Max, it added streaming of live sports to the platform, including NBA and NHL games, and starting this year, NASCAR, including The Great Chicago Race. However, Warner will lose NBA rights after this month as it was left out of $76 billion worth of deal-making. 

Similar to what Comcast did, WBD is looking to spin off its cable assets, including TBS, TNT, CNN, and Cartoon Network, all acquired by predecessor Time Warner in 1995 when it bought Atlanta-based Turner Broadcasting.

The return of the HBO Max branding is the latest name-game among media properties in the last two weeks. NBCUniversal’s spinoff of its cable networks was named Versant, while the name of ESPN’s new streaming service is called…ESPN. 

With the rebranding, the HBO Max tag returns to the site, effective immediately. 

You have to wonder why Warner Bros. Discovery decided to bring back the HBO name, proving again that Zaslav and company have no idea what they’re doing. But if we’re talking about quality here, maybe there is a good reason to return the HBO name. 

They got rid of Velma.