Today, Warner Brothers Discovery announced its plans for its new streaming service, Max, which will replace HBO Max and merge in Discovery+ content.  Max is going to be 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 programming across food, home, reality, lifestyle and documentaries from leading brands like HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC, ID and more.

During the launch presentation, Warner Brothers Discovery CEO David Laslav spoke about how they’ve done lots of research, and people feel there are too many streaming services and it’s too hard to find new content.  A slide presentation behind the CEO showed other streaming services logos, including ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu.  It was also heavily referenced that Max is going to offer something for everyone in the family, with a wide selection of content, which is something critics of Disney+ have said due to the mature content being shifted to Hulu.

There were also plenty of new Max Originals announced during the presentation, including new additions in the “Harry Potter”, “Game Of Thrones”, “Looney Toons”, “The Big Bang Theory”, and “Gremlins” franchises.

New subscribers can sign up when Max launches in the United States on May 23rd 2023, at Max.com and through participating partners.  While existing HBO Max subscribers will have access to Max on day one, with a large portion of subscribers will have their apps automatically updated to Max. Others will need to download the updated Max app to access the expanded catalogue. HBO Max subscribers will have their previous profiles, settings, watch history, “Continue Watching”, and “My List” items waiting for them to stream on Max.  While Discovery+ subscribers can sign-up as new Max customers for an expanded catalogue.

Max will offer three pricing options, giving subscribers a choice to select which plan best fits the needs of their household.

  • Max Ad-Lite: 2 concurrent streams, 1080p resolution, no offline downloads, 5.1  surround sound quality
    • $9.99/month
    • $99.99/year
  • Max Ad-Free: 2 concurrent streams, 1080 resolution, 30 offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality
    • $15.99/month
    • $149.99/year
  • Max Ultimate Ad-Free: 4 concurrent streams, up to 4K UHD resolution, 100 offline downloads, Dolby Atmos sound quality
    • $19.99/month
    • $199.99/year

Existing HBO Max subscribers will have access to Max at the same price as their HBO Max subscription.

Warner Brothers Discovery has revealed some of the new upgrades that Max will offer over HBO Max.

  • Better Playback: Max’s new video playback experience will deliver smooth and cinematic video to users, wherever and however they prefer to watch.
  • A more prominent kids experience that is intuitive and easy to set up. The whole household can enjoy new shows like Peter and the Wolf and Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, as well as Tiny Toons Looniversity, Batwheels, We Baby Bears, season eight of Teen Titans GO!, and classics like Sesame Street, Looney Toons, Scooby-Doo and more.
  • Better Personalization & Simplified Navigation: Max will expand personalization beyond just the home page, offering a unique experience for every user across the whole service. Whether you know exactly what you want to watch, you’re looking for personalized recommendations, or you’re in the mood to explore new interests, Max makes the journey to clicking play effortless.
  • Access to an expanded catalogue of 4K UHD content (Ultimate Ad-Free Tier Only)

Max will continue to roll out in international markets where HBO Max is currently available, starting with Latin America later in 2023, followed by select countries across Europe and Asia in 2024.  Warner Brothers Discovery is looking to do so profitability rather than going to a huge scale to begin with, which is why they’ve recently signed deals with other companies around the world to offer HBO content.

Due to contracts made before Disney purchased 20th Century Fox, some Disney-owned content will still remain on Max, as during the presentation, you could see some 20th Century Studios and Searchlight films on the menu system for Max, including “The Banshees Of Inisherin”, “The Menu”, and “Edward Scissorhands.”

The launch of Max will no doubt put other streaming services, including Disney+ and Hulu, to offer more original programming, features, options and much more.

Will you be subscribing to Max?  Let us know on social media!

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Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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