According to IndieWire, Warner Bros. Discovery may be further diluting the HBO brand as they eye adding Paramount+ to Max. IndieWire reports that according to CNBC, Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery are in talks to combine the two streaming giants.
If the two streaming platforms were to be combined, the move would have massive implications for both companies and send shockwaves through the industry. The merging of the two networks could prove very beneficial to Paramount+ as, according to IndieWire, it struggles to compete in terms of the number of subscribers in comparison to other streaming platforms such as Max and Netflix. As mentioned, for Max the merger proves more tricky, as it would suggest further net minus to the HBO brand following the rebrand from HBO Max to simply Max last year. On the other hand, the merger could bring more subscribers to Max and push it over into the coveted 200 million subscribers mark, which IndieWire reports as a significant marker of success, longevity and brand vitality. Warner Bros. Discovery currently sits at around 100 million subscribers, most of which, according to IndieWire, come from Max users.
IndieWire reports that this is not the first instance Max and Paramount+ have been in talks. In 2023, Paramount+ was in talks to merge with the entirety of Warner Bros. Discovery. These plans, however, quickly fell through. The potential merger could act as lifeline to Paramount+, which IndieWire estimates to be losing hundreds of millions dollars a year and is desperate for a plan to expidite its profitability timeline.
While on the surface, the merger may not seem to have much to offer to Max, given that Paramount+ is struggling to stay afloat and trails in subscribers. However, Paramount+ has some vital programming that could potentially see Max’s subscriber count skyrocket further. Programming including the NFL, Nickelodeon and CBS could diversify and bolster Max’s streaming collection enough to save both brands.