HBO Max subscribers knew this was coming, but one of the world's leading streaming services is officially merging with Discovery Plus to create a new combined superstreamer called Max.
The merger comes after AT&T's WarnerMedia and Discovery merged in 2022, creating a new entertainment giant called Warner Bros. Discovery. And it was this company that decided to launch a new streaming service Max, combining HBO Max and Discovery Plus.
As rumors had predicted, the new Max service is not a complete merger of these two existing streaming services. Instead, Discovery Plus will continue as a separate service, with the new Max replacing the current HBO Max and adding "a selection of Discovery favourites."
But what does all this mean for existing HBO Max and Discovery Plus subscribers? And what new TV shows are on the way for the new Max service? We've rounded up everything you need to know, including what's to come when Max launches, and the most exciting shows in the pipeline.
7 things to know about Max's new streaming service
1. HBO Max will become Max on May 23
Warner Bros. Discovery's new streaming service Max launches in the US on May 23, and existing HBO Max subscribers won't have to do a thing to keep watching their favorite shows.
HBO Max announces that on May 23, "the HBO Max app will become Max." If you have already installed the app, it will automatically update to Max or when you open the app, you will be prompted to download the Max app.
HBO Max also says "we expect Max to be available on the same devices as HBO Max." For a full list of these devices, head over to this HBO Max help page (opens in a new tab).
2. Max will cost more than HBO Max for 4K streaming
If you've already subscribed to HBO Max, your subscription price won't change when you switch to Max, but the new service will take exclusive 4K streaming to a whole new level.
Right now, there are two HBO Max plans. The cheapest "With Ads" plan costs €9.99 per month (or €99.99 per year), while the "No Ads" plan costs €15.99 per month (or €149.99 per year). As you can see below, the new Max service will offer almost identical plans called "Ad-Lite" and "Ad Free", with a few changes.
First off, instead of being able to stream to three devices simultaneously, it's going to go to two devices on these first two plans below. Also, worse news for those already on HBO Max's "No Ads" plan, 4K streaming will only be available on a new "Max Ultimate Ad Free" plan ($19.99/month or $199.99/year).
Slip to move horizontally Price Maxlevelmax Ad-Litemax Ad FREEMAX Ultimate Ad Freeprecio € 9.99/MONTH O € 99.99/year € 15.99/month or € 149.99/year € 19.99/month or € 199.99/years Resolution 1080 PRESOLUTION 1080 PRESOLUTION 4K UHDSTRESOLUTION 5.15K .1 surround sound quality. 30 Surround Sound Quality Dolby Atmos Sound Quality Offline No Offline Downloads 100 Offline Downloads XNUMX Offline DownloadsThis "Max Ultimate Ad Free" plan is definitely the one for those who then want 4K with HDR and Dolby Atmos. But there's no word yet on exactly which shows will be available to stream in this quality beyond Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and The Dark Knight Trilogy.
HBO Max doesn't stream all of its shows in 4K resolution, and the older ones tend to be limited to HD. But the newly merged company promised that "all Warner Bros. movies released this year and in the future will also be available in 4K UHD when they hit Max."
HBO Max also promised that existing subscribers will "still have access to the features of their current plan for at least six months after launch," suggesting more price changes are possible later this year.
3. Discovery Plus will continue as a standalone service
Warner Bros. Discovery doesn't completely merge HBO Max and Discovery Plus into one super streamer. Instead, Max's new streaming service will combine all of HBO Max with "a selection of Discovery favourites."
This means that Discovery Plus will remain a standalone streaming option with the same usual price (€4,99 per month with ads or €6,99 per month without). So if you subscribe to both HBO Max and Discovery Plus, sadly you'll still have to pay for both to see all the content.
However, if you are an HBO Max subscriber, your HBO Max profiles, watch history, and settings will automatically switch to Max. All you have to do is re-upload your TV shows and movies to Max.
4. The new Max app will bring big changes
The new Max app, arriving May 23, should bring some improvements over the current HBO Max offering, according to Warner Bros. Discovery.
The streaming giant promised a better video playback experience on the service, along with an improved recommendation engine and more personalization that goes beyond the home page.
These recommendations will apparently be powered by more powerful machine learning, while some additional page furniture, including shortcuts, dedicated hubs, and optimized categories, promise to boost the current HBO app experience.
While this all sounds good in theory, we'll have to wait until May 23 to see if this is a real improvement. However, one benefit that seems useful for parents is that there will be a default child profile for new subscribers, with some parental controls. That should help prevent young children from accidentally connecting to The Last of Us, if nothing else.
5. The new shows will include a decade-long Harry Potter series.
To help build excitement for its new streaming service Max, Warner Bros. Discovery has announced a slew of new TV shows coming to the service, possibly the biggest being a new Harry Potter series.
It will ostensibly be a "decade series," with each of Rowling's Harry Potter book stories expanded with a new cast. While some may view the series as completely pointless, hopefully it's better than the slightly infuriating and unsatisfying Hogwarts Legacy.
6. Max will finally get a fourth season of True Detective
A year ago, we learned that a fourth season of True Detective, starring Jodie Foster, was on the way. But now we finally have our first look at the new series, which will land on Max, thanks to a new teaser.
True Detective: Night Country will be something of a reboot of the series, set in frozen Alaska. Foster plays Detective Liz Danvers, who has been asked to solve the case of the disappearance of six men who operate a nearby investigative station.
The original creator of the show, Nic Pizzolatto, who debuted in 2014, has returned to an executive producer role, with Mexican filmmaker Issa López writing and directing all episodes. With a star-studded management team, could it finally live up to the classic original season?
7. Other originals will include The Penguin (in 2024)
Along with the new Harry Potter TV series, the new Max service will include another Game of Thrones spin-off called A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, as well as a new Big Bang Theory comedy series. But perhaps most intriguing is a new series for The Penguin, which is scheduled to arrive in 2024.
It will be based on Colin Farrell's take on the supervillain from The Batman and is now in production, as you can see in the teaser above. Naturally, it looks dark, gritty, and probably worth the long wait.
And if that wasn't enough, the new streaming service Max is also promising an original spy thriller series called The Sympathizer, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, as well as a new series based on the movies. .