According to an official press release, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that the company’s streaming platform, Max, will be rebranded as HBO Max this summer. The move comes after two years of impressive growth, with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) adding 22 million subscribers in the past year and projecting to reach 150 million by the end of 2026.

The rebranding is part of a larger strategy that has turned WBD’s streaming business into a profitability powerhouse. WBD’s success is driven by a refocused programming strategy, emphasizing hit content like HBO originals, recent box-office movies, docuseries, reality series, and Max Originals, while deprioritizing lower-engagement genres. “We are bringing back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in media, to further accelerate that growth,” said David Zaslav, President and CEO of WBD.

The decision to incorporate the HBO brand into HBO Max reflects the company’s response to shifting consumer demands, which now prioritize quality content over sheer quantity. “It’s not subjective, not even controversial – our programming just hits different,” said JB Perrette, President and CEO of Streaming at WBD. This pivot also signals the company’s commitment to providing distinct, high-caliber content to both adults and families.

Further reinforcing this strategy, Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, shared that the rebranding aims to better reflect the evolving consumer proposition. “HBO Max far better represents our current consumer proposition,” he explained, adding that it speaks to the service’s reputation for delivering content “worth paying for.” HBO has long been recognized for its premium storytelling, and this change signals a future focused on maintaining that legacy.