Is there an HBO Max shut down planned? Warner Bros is planning a merger between HBO Max and Discovery Plus, which will result in major changes to both services. However, is HBO Max going away or shutting down, or will the new service continue under another name?
Will HBO Max shut down?
HBO Max is going away after the merger with Discovery Plus and will be replaced by a joint streaming service, which may simply be called ‘Max.’
As CNBC reports, Warner Bros Discovery is already planning to shut down HBO Max. The studio will replace it with a new streaming service with all previous content. It will essentially be a complete merger of the HBO Max and Discovery Plus streaming services. It will reportedly feature content from HBO, Discovery, DC Comics, and Warner Bros studios.
Shows such as Titans and House of the Dragon and movies such as Black Adam and The Batman will continue on to the new streaming service. Warner Bros decided to push HBO Max and Discovery Plus together to reduce costs and attract more customers.
As to why the name change, Warner Bros reportedly plans to separate HBO content from the rest of the streaming offerings. Warner Bros already had several HBO-branded projects prior to HBO Max, and the HBO brand doesn’t mean as much outside of the U.S. anyway. An HBO-less title will mean more in international markets.
When is HBO Max going away?
Warner Bros Discovery plans to shut down HBO Max in Spring 2023. It will get replaced by the new streaming service with expanded content, currently called ‘Max.’ It is not currently known whether subscriptions will carry over or whether current HBO Max subscribers will receive a discount. The name and pricing of the service is still under discussion, apparently.
