Warner Bros. Discovery is bringing HBO back to the spotlight. In a surprising yet strategic reversal, the company announced that its flagship streaming platform Max will be rebranded as HBO Max this summer—just two years after it dropped the premium network’s name from the service.
The rebrand was formally unveiled during Warner Bros. Discovery’s 2025 upfront presentation at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. The announcement came shortly after the platform’s visual identity had already started to shift—just weeks ago, Max quietly adopted a darker, more familiar black-and-white aesthetic reminiscent of HBO’s iconic branding.
The decision signals a renewed commitment to the HBO brand, which has long been associated with prestige television and critically acclaimed programming. In its official press release, Warner Bros. Discovery said the reintroduction of the HBO name would help “amplify the uniqueness that subscribers can expect” and drive the platform’s continued growth.
What is dead may never die. HBO Max coming this summer. Same app, new-ish name. pic.twitter.com/XVQSby8qjE
— HBO Max (@hbomax) May 14, 2025
“This is about doubling down on what makes our streaming service distinct,” said David Zaslav, president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. “The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming. HBO represents the highest standard in media, and we’re proud to lead with that name again.”
The shift also reflects a larger strategic recalibration by WBD, which initially removed “HBO” from HBO Max in May 2023 to position the platform as a broader entertainment hub aimed at competing more directly with market leaders like Netflix. The simplified name, “Max,” was meant to suggest a wider range of content—not just high-end dramas, but also reality TV, kids’ programming, and unscripted series.
That rebrand, however, caused confusion among consumers and industry observers alike. Many questioned the wisdom of discarding a name with such strong brand equity, especially when HBO content remained a core component of the platform.
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Now, the company appears to agree.
“We’ve heard the feedback. We’ve seen the data,” said JB Perrette, president and CEO of global streaming and games at Warner Bros. Discovery. “Max was an attempt to broaden our appeal, but HBO Max better reflects our identity and promise: not everything for everyone, but something premium, distinctive, and valuable for adults and families alike.”
WBD says the platform has added 22 million subscribers globally over the past year and is now targeting over 150 million subscribers by the end of 2026. Executives credited this growth not just to content volume, but to the strength of series like The Last of Us, Succession, and House of the Dragon—all of which are unmistakably HBO originals.
Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max content, emphasized that the programming itself never wavered, even if the branding did.
“With the course we are on and the strong momentum we’re enjoying, HBO Max far better represents our current consumer proposition,” Bloys said. “To borrow a phrase we’ve long used at HBO, our content remains worth paying for.”
The announcement sparked immediate buzz across social media. Anticipating the reaction, WBD’s social media team leaned into the joke. The official @StreamOnMax account on X (formerly Twitter) updated its bio to read, “These rebrands are trying to murder me.” Meanwhile, the long-dormant @HBOMax account was reactivated with a post featuring a clip from Game of Thrones — Jon Snow’s dramatic resurrection — captioned: “What is dead may never die. HBO Max coming this summer. Same app, new-ish name.”
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The playful approach acknowledged the company’s naming whiplash while trying to control the narrative before the memes took over.
Online, reactions were swift and varied. While some users mocked the company for walking back its previous decision, others welcomed the return to a more recognizable and respected brand.
“Let HBO be HBO,” one popular tweet read. “No one canceled their subscription over the name. They canceled because they didn’t want to watch 12 dating shows in a row.”
The rebrand comes at a time when the streaming industry is in flux. Disney, Netflix, Amazon, and WBD are all rethinking content strategies, licensing deals, and pricing models in the face of rising costs and subscriber churn. For Warner Bros. Discovery, the move to reclaim HBO’s prestige may be part of a larger play to solidify its corner of the market: premium, adult-targeted storytelling with cultural impact.
“This isn’t a retreat,” said Perrette. “It’s a pivot back to our strengths.”
The transition to the HBO Max name will roll out gradually over the summer. WBD confirmed that existing Max users will not need to download a new app, and there will be no change in pricing or content availability at this time.
Whether this change signals long-term stability in WBD’s streaming strategy remains to be seen. But for now, fans of prestige television can rejoice: HBO is officially back in the title.
