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The long, winding journey of HBO Max is about to enter a new chapter, as Paramount CEO David Ellison has confirmed it will merge with Paramount+ into a single streaming service once Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is finalized.
“As we said, we do plan to put the two services together, which today gives us a little over 200 million direct to consumer subscribers,” Ellison confirmed during a call with investors on Monday.
Since launching in 2020, HBO Max has undergone multiple name changes and rebrands, and it has been owned by two companies (not counting its impending acquisition by Paramount). Even so, HBO has maintained its independence throughout, and Ellison has insisted it will continue to exist as an independent entity even under the Paramount umbrella.
“We do plan for that to be able to operate with independence, so that HBO can, candidly, do what it does incredibly well,” Ellison said. “Our viewpoint is HBO should stay HBO. They built a phenomenal brand. They are a leader in the space, and we just want them to continue doing more of it. But by bringing the platforms together, all of our content will be able to reach even a broader audience than we can do standalone.”
Elsewhere on Monday’s call, Ellison reaffirmed Paramount’s commitment to releasing 30 films theatrically each year and honoring a 45-day theatrical window before they hit streaming.
English (US) · 