Tomorrow, Max Is Changing Its Name—Again

HBO Max is coming back starting July 9. Warner Bros. Discovery is officially changing the name of its streaming service Max back to HBO Max.

The company first shared the news back in May during its big upfront event. On stage, HBO boss Casey Bloys joked about the move by saying, “I know you’re all shocked, but the good news is I have a drawer full of stationery from the last time around.” HBO Max was the service’s original name from 2020 until it was rebranded to Max in 2023. Now it’s going full circle.

This switch is part of a new strategy. Instead of trying to compete with big streaming services like Netflix by offering tons of content, Warner Bros. Discovery wants to focus on what makes HBO stand out, premium shows and quality over quantity.

A statement from the company explained the change: “This evolution has been influenced by changing consumer needs, and the fact that no consumer today is saying they want more content, but most consumers are saying they want better content.” They added that while other platforms focus on offering lots of shows, HBO is all about top-tier storytelling: “No brand has done that better and more consistently over 50-plus years than HBO.”

Starting Wednesday, the app will automatically switch to HBO Max, with a clean new black and white logo. But users won’t need to re-download anything or make changes to their accounts. It’s not like last year’s switch to Max, which required more steps.

This rebrand is happening during a quiet month for the platform. One of the few recent releases is the Warner Bros. movie Sinners, and coming up is Billy Joel: And So It Goes, which drops on July 18. HBO Max will also have content for Shark Week later in the month. Still, it’s a smart time to switch back to the HBO name, with Emmy voting just around the corner. Big shows like The White Lotus are expected to grab nominations.

The rebrand also lines up with a bigger shift at Warner Bros. Discovery. The company plans to split into two separate businesses next year. HBO Max will be part of a new group that includes the film and TV studios, which David Zaslav will lead. Meanwhile, other parts like the TV networks will be spun off into a new company run by Gunnar Weidenfels.

On top of that, HBO Max is expanding internationally, with plans to launch in 12 new countries this month.

So yes, HBO Max is back. Again.

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