Warner Bros. Discovery official unveiled its new enhanced streaming service, Max, which will launch in the United States on May 23, 2023. Max will replace HBO Max. The streaming service will have content from HBO Max, Discovery +, and new, original series put forth by both. According to president and CEO of global streaming and games for Warners Bros. Discovery JB Perrette, the rebranding was part of their expansion to include content for viewers of all ages.
“We all love HBO, and it’s a brand that has been built over five decades, [known for] edgy, groundbreaking entertainment for adults,” he said during a press conference. “But it’s not exactly where parents would most eagerly drop off their kids. And yet Warner Bros. Discovery has some of the best-known kids’ characters, animation and brands in the industry. Not surprisingly, the category has not met his true potential on HBO Max.”
Warner Bros. Discovery also announced price points for Max, assuring subscribers that (for now) current HBO Max customers won’t see an increase in cost. The first two plans keep the same HBO Max pricing. The third tier, Max Ultimate, allows for up to four streams at a time and includes 4K content.
Here’s the pricing matrix for Max:
- Max Ad-Lite ($9.99/month or $99.99/year): Two concurrent streams, 1080p HD resolution, no offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality
- Max Ad Free ($15.99/month or $149.99/year): Two concurrent streams, 1080p HD, up to 30 offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality
- Max Ultimate Ad Free ($19.99/month or $199.99/year): Four concurrent streams, up to 4K Ultra HD resolution, 100 offline downloads, Dolby Atmos sound quality
Newly announced content included the following:
- A Max Original Harry Potter series (long-rumored to tackle one book per season)
- A new HBO Original Game of Thrones prequel titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight
- A comedy series based off of The Big Bang Theory, also a Max Original
- A Max Original drama series based on The Conjuring films
- Fixer Upper: The Hotel from Magnolia Network
- Cartoon Network’s Tiny Toons Looniversity
- Rick & Morty: The Anime from Adult Swim
Other upcoming projects include The Penguin starring Colin Farrell, a kids’ series called Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, True Detective: Night Country with Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, and more.
