HBO Max and Discovery+ are now one 'Max': What to know about the new combined streaming service

Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY
Updated ·3 min read

Add Discovery and HBO and you get: Max.

At least, that's what executives from Warner Bros. Discovery are hoping. The entertainment conglomerate confirmed that it is merging and rebranding its two streaming services, HBO Max and Discovery+, as one mega service called "Max."

"This is our rendezvous with destiny," WBD CEO David Zaslav said at a press event Wednesday unveiling the new Max service, which launches May 23. "It's the place that every member of the household to go to see whatever they want at any given time," he added, noting that it will have shows that range from high profile, prestige HBO programming like "The Last of Us" to Discovery's unscripted content like "Property Brothers."

But what does Max mean to you? How will it affect existing HBO Max and Discovery+ subscribers? What about HBO cable subscribers? What shows and movies will be on it? We've answered every question you might have about Max.

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New on 'Max': 'Harry Potter' TV series, second 'Game of Thrones' prequel due on rebranded Max streamer

Photo's from Discovery's "Naked and Afraid" and HBO's "Succession." They will soon both be available on streaming service Max, a rebrand of HBO Max.
Photo's from Discovery's "Naked and Afraid" and HBO's "Succession." They will soon both be available on streaming service Max, a rebrand of HBO Max.

What is Max? It's HBO Max and Discovery+ combined

Two years ago WarnerMedia, which owned media brands including HBO, Warner Bros., DC Entertainment and CNN, merged with Discovery, owner of Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network and Animal Planet. The newly created Warner Bros. Discovery promised a supercharged streaming service that would combine HBO Max from one company with Discovery+ from the other.

The new service will now host a diverse array of programming, from HBO titles like "Succession" and "House of the Dragon" to dozens of reality TV series from Discovery's portfolio, from "Naked and Afraid" to "Love it or List It" to "Chopped."

How much will Max cost?

The company said Wednesday that the rebranded service will not change its price from the HBO Max prices. Here is a breakdown of all plan options:

  • Ad-Lite for $9.99/month: Includes two concurrent streams, 1080p HD resolution, no offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality.

  • Ad Free for $15.99/month: Two concurrent streams, 1080p HD, up to 30 offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality.

  • Ultimate Ad Free for $19.99/month (new): Four concurrent streams, up to 4K Ultra HD resolution, 100 offline downloads, Dolby Atmos sound quality.

Will I still be able to get Discovery+ as a stand-alone service?

Yes. Discovery+ will remain available to subscribe to separately, for $4.99 a month (or $6.99 ad-free). But a stand-alone version of Max without the Discovery content will not be available

Will cable HBO subscribers still get access to the Max streaming service?

Yes.

Is Max going to cancel and disappear my favorite shows and movies as HBO Max did?

Under WBD leadership, HBO Max made controversial cost-cutting decisions that included shelving the mostly-finished "Batgirl" film and removing shows like "Westworld" from the streaming service entirely. Several projects were canceled to take advantage of tax write-offs, enabling the company to deduct the value of production costs for projects it deemed unpromising or that weren't prompting new subscriber signups.However, leadership has indicated that those write-downs won't be a major part of the strategy moving forward.

What new shows can I expect on Max?

WBD executives promised 40 new shows and seasons every month on Max. The biggest new shows announced included "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight," a new "Game of Thrones" spinoff, produced by George R.R. Martin, and a live-action "Harry Potter" TV series with new actors in the iconic roles, executive produced by J.K. Rowling.

Some of the other new shows and films he announced included: A series about Colin Farrell's Batman villain "The Penguin," "It" prequel series "Welcome to Derry," a new "Big Bang Theory" spinoff; and unscripted series with Robert Downey Jr. and Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: HBO Max and Discovery+ merge: 'Max' streaming service explained