CHATTER AWAY: Overnight Open Thread

Variety reports:

Turns out, Warner Bros. Discovery thinks HBO has some pretty good brand equity, after all. This summer, streamer Max will bend the knee and rebrand back to its original name, HBO Max.

The change comes just over two years after Warner Bros. Discovery decided to drop HBO from the streamer’s name to become just Max. Note that while HBO and Max have carried separate commercial branding during that time, they’ve competed under one “HBO/Max” label for industry awards.

WBD’s naming flip-flopping for its flagship streaming service — which has caused more than a little confusion among consumers — amounts to an admission by the company it can’t be as broad as the industry leader, Netflix. The original justification for dropping HBO from HBO Max was to signal a something-for-everyone content cornucopia.

Read the full article.

HBO MAX LIVES!

Max is changing its name back to HBO Max this summer, two years after deciding to drop the “HBO.”

Warner Bros Discovery says of the decision: “Returning the HBO brand into HBO Max will further drive the service forward and amplify the uniqueness that subscribers… pic.twitter.com/ja3jxoO5tN

— Variety (@Variety) May 14, 2025