Warner Bros. Discovery’s new streaming service and HBO Max replacement is officially called Max, and it will launch in the U.S. on May 23, Warner Bros. Discovery announced today. The new service will include three subscription options, including ad-lite and ad-free tiers, which cost $9.99/month (or $99.99/year) and $15.99/month (or $149.99/year), respectively. Max combines the content libraries of HBO Max and Discovery+, allowing subscribers to stream HBO Originals, Warner Bros. films, and documentaries from brands that include the Discovery Channel in a single spot. Some of the titles that are in development for Max include a new Harry Potter series, which has been described as a “faithful adaptation of the beloved original book series”; A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, a Game of Thrones prequel; and The Penguin, a Batman spin-off that brings Colin Farrell back as Oswald Cobblepot.
“From the biggest superheroes to real life champions; from culture-shaping dramas to taste-shaping entertainment; from fantastical realms to the realest of worlds, Max will offer an unrivaled range of choice,” said JB Perrette, President & CEO, Global Streaming & Games, Warner Bros. Discovery. “This new brand signals an important change from two narrower products, HBO Max and discovery+, to our broader content offering and consumer proposition. While each product offered something for some people, Max will have a broad array of quality choices for everybody.”
Max Pricing Options
- Max Ad-Lite | $9.99/month or $99.99/year
- 2 concurrent streams, 1080p resolution, no offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality
- Max Ad Free | $15.99/month or $149.99/year
- 2 concurrent streams, 1080 resolution, 30 offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality
- Max Ultimate Ad Free | $19.99/month or $199.99/year
- 4 concurrent streams, up to 4K UHD resolution, 100 offline downloads, Dolby Atmos sound quality
From a Warner Bros. Discovery press release:
Warner Bros. Discovery today introduced Max, its enhanced streaming service, which will launch in the U.S. on May 23. Max is the destination for HBO Originals, Warner Bros. films, Max Originals, the DC universe, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, an expansive offering of kids content, and best-in-class programing across food, home, reality, lifestyle and documentaries from leading brands like HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC, ID and more. Max will stand out amongst streamers by uniquely combining unrivaled breadth and superior quality with iconic franchises and strong product experience, all for great value.
Existing HBO Max subscribers will have access to Max at the same price as their HBO Max subscription and can visit http://help.hbomax.com/introducingMax to find out more. Additionally, HBO Max subscribers will still have access to their current plan features for a minimum of six months following launch. HBO Max subscribers’ profiles, settings, watch history, “Continue Watching,” and “My List” items will also migrate to Max so they can pick up streaming right where they left off.
Newly announced titles include a Max Original Harry Potter series, a faithful adaptation of the beloved original book series by J.K. Rowling, who will serve as executive producer; a Max Original comedy series derived from The Big Bang Theory; an HBO Original “Game of Thrones” prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight; a Max Original drama series based on The Conjuring films; Magnolia Network’s Fixer Upper: The Hotel; Discovery Channel’s Survive the Raft; Max Original Peter & the Wolf from Bono, Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty: The Anime; Investigation Discovery’s Lost Women of Highway 20; Cartoon Network’s Tiny Toons Looniversity; and TLC’s Love & Translation.