Sophia Michaels
Max and Discovery+
We finally know what the future looks like for HBO Max and Discovery+. On April 12, 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery officially announced the company’s new streaming service, which is simply called Max. The new platform will combine the streaming libraries of HBO Max and Discovery+ with the companies’ other properties, so that shows like “Succession” and “White Lotus” will live side by side with “Property Brothers” and “Flip or Flop.” In a press release, the company described Max as an “enhanced streaming service.” The new website, Max.com, will launch this May.
News of plans for a joint streaming service first broke in August 2022, with CEO David Zaslav sharing it during a quarterly earnings call. Both HBO Max and Discovery+ reach a combined 92 million subscribers, per the quarterly earnings report, and the company hopes to reach 130 million global subscribers by 2025. Jean-Briac Perrette, Discovery’s CEO, said at the time that he hopes the new streamer will be the best of both worlds. “We recognize that both of our existing products have shortcomings,” he said during the call. “HBO Max has a competitive feature set but has had performance and customer issues. Discovery+ has best in class performance, and consumer ratings, but more limited features.”
Ahead, here’s everything you need to know about the new streaming service Max.
How Much Does Max Cost?
Max has three pricing tiers, with the two cheapest staying the same as the pricing for current HBO Max. Max Ad-Lite, which is ad-supported, is $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year, and Max Ad-Free is $15.99 a month or $149.99 a year. Meanwhile, Max Ultimate Ad-Free is $19.99 a month or $199.99 a year. The highest tier allows up to four people to watch at one time (the first two plans only allow up to two), has higher resolution, and allows for more offline downloads.
Do I Have to Make a New Account on Max?
Current HBO Max subscribers will have access to Max immediately without making a new account. On launch day, HBO Max apps will either automatically update or need to be updated to access.
Will HBO Cable Subscribers Still Get Max?
Currently, anyone who subscribes to HBO Max via their cable company can access HBO Max. The Max website says that viewers will still be able to access the new Max app through TV, internet, digital, and wireless providers, so current HBO subscribers won’t have to make any significant changes to their accounts.
Is Discovery+ Going Away?
Though HBO Max is going away, Discovery+ is staying around at $4.99 a month with ads and $6.99 a month without ads. Max will have the same content, however, in addition to its expanded library.
Which TV Shows and Movies Will Be on Max?
The combined streamer will include shows from HBO, CNN, DC Comics, Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, Magnolia Network, OWN, TBS, and TNT. On April 12, Max previewed some of those shows and movies fans can expect. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” will be on the streaming service on launch day, while TLC’s new show “Love and Translation” will debut this winter. The new Colin Farrell “The Penguin” series will also be on Max, as will the “It” prequel series, “Welcome to Derry.” Max will continue to have new HBO shows, like “The Last of Us” and “House of the Dragon,” too. The streamer has also ordered a new Harry Potter TV series and another “Game of Thrones” prequel.
Warner Bros. Discovery has made headlines recently for removing movies and TV shows from HBO Max and canning some streaming projects completely, like the “Batgirl” movie and “Minx” season two. It’s not clear if Max will continue the trend of removing programs and films.
When Does Max Launch?
Max launches on May 23.
