Max (streaming service)
Max, formerly and commonly referred as HBO Max,[b] is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. It is a proprietary unit of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming & Interactive Entertainment, which is itself a division of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).[2] Max first launched (as HBO Max) in the United States on May 27, 2020.
Formerly
HBO Max (2020–2023)
30 languages
United States
United States, Latin America, Caribbean, and parts of Europe (see full list of countries)
- WarnerMedia (2020–2022)
- Warner Bros. Discovery (2022–present)
- David Zaslav (President and CEO, Warner Bros. Discovery)
- Casey Bloys (CEO, Chairman)
Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming and Interactive Entertainment
Required
76.8 million[a] (as of March 31, 2022)
- May 27, 2020 (as HBO Max)
- May 23, 2023 (as Max)
Active
The platform offers content from the libraries of Warner Bros., Discovery Channel, HBO, CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, Eurosport, and their related brands. The service also carries first-run original programming under the "Max Originals" banner, programming from the HBO pay television service, and content acquired via either third-party library deals (such as those with film studios for pay television rights) or co-production agreements (including, among others, those with BBC Studios and Sesame Workshop).
When the service was first launched as HBO Max, it succeeded both HBO Now, a previous HBO SVOD service; and HBO Go, the TV Everywhere streaming platform for HBO pay television subscribers. In the United States, HBO Now subscribers and HBO pay television subscribers were migrated to HBO Max at no additional charge, subject to availability and device support. HBO Max also supplanted the streaming component of DC Entertainment's DC Universe service, with its original series being migrated to HBO Max as Max Originals. The HBO Max service began to expand into international markets in 2021.
According to AT&T,[c] HBO and HBO Max had a combined total of 69.4 million paying subscribers globally on June 30, 2021, including 43.5 million HBO Max subscribers in the U.S., 3.5 million HBO-only U.S. subscribers (primarily commercial customers like hotels), and 20.5 million subscribers to either HBO Max or HBO by itself in other countries.[3] By the end of 2021, HBO and HBO Max had a combined total of 73.8 million paying global subscribers.[4][5] At the end of Q1 2022, HBO and HBO Max had 76.8 million global subscribers.[6]
Since the April 2022 merger of WarnerMedia with Discovery, Inc. to form Warner Bros. Discovery, Max is one of the combined company's two flagship streaming services, the other being Discovery+ (which primarily focuses on factual and reality programming from the Discovery brands). WBD initially announced plans for HBO Max and Discovery+ to merge in 2023, but the company ultimately chose to retain Discovery+. As part of the decision, WBD has migrated some Discovery+ shows to Max, while also leaving them on Discovery+. WBD went on to replace HBO Max with a newly rebranded service that launched first in the United States on May 23, 2023, shortening the service's name to "Max", introducing a redesigned user interface, and adding more Discovery content among other new series and films. HBO Max would rebrand to Max in Europe (the last countries it was still HBO Max) in 2024.
Management[edit]
HBO Max was formed under WarnerMedia's Entertainment division, then headed by Robert Greenblatt. Kevin Reilly, president of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks, which includes most of the company's ad-supported entertainment channels such as TBS, TNT, and TruTV, was also given the role of as chief content officer of HBO Max with responsibility for HBO Max-exclusive original programming and library content. Andy Forssell was named the service's executive vice president and general manager while still reporting to Otter Media CEO Tony Goncalves, who leads development.[11] Casey Bloys, programming president of HBO, retained oversight of the core HBO service but was not initially involved with Max-exclusive programming.
On August 7, 2020, WarnerMedia announced a significant restructuring under new president Jason Kilar, which he described as "leaning into this great moment of change" towards direct-to-consumer services. As a result, Greenblatt and Reilly both left the company. WarnerMedia Entertainment was dissolved, with programming operations combined with Warner Bros. in a new Studios and Networks group under that studio's CEO Ann Sarnoff. Bloys was given complete programming oversight of HBO and HBO Max, as well as Reilly's other previous responsibilities, reporting to Sarnoff. Forssell became the head of a new HBO Max operating business unit, reporting directly to Kilar.[62] On April 23, 2021, Adult Swim and HBO Max's adult animation development teams merged under the leadership of Suzanna Makkos.[63]
On August 15, 2022, HBO was reorganized by Warner Bros. Discovery, resulting in layoffs within HBO Max's non-scripted originals, live-action family originals, international originals, and casting units (HBO itself never had an in-house casting department). Makkos also began reporting to HBO's head of comedy Amy Gravitt.[64][65]
Technologies and accessibility[edit]
At launch, HBO Max did not support 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, or Dolby Atmos, but support for these technologies were planned as "part of the HBO Max product roadmap".[150][151] Support for 4K, HDR, and Atmos was added starting with the release of Wonder Woman 1984,[152] with WarnerMedia promising to add more content in these formats throughout 2021 and beyond.[153]
The service provided closed captioning support at launch, but initially lacked support for audio description (AD) for those with visual impairments.[154] In October 2020, the American Council of the Blind announced it had reached a settlement with WarnerMedia whereby at least 1,500 hours of HBO Max content will be available with AD by the end of March 2021, increasing to at least 6,000 hours by March 2023, along with other accessibility enhancements to the website and apps by September 2021.[155] HBO Max later began rolling out AD on select titles on March 26, 2021.[156]
Distribution[edit]
United States[edit]
The majority of active subscribers to the HBO pay TV service (which previously included HBO Go), and most customers that were subscribed to HBO Now at time of launch, can access HBO Max for no extra charge, with all three services generally sharing the same price point of $14.99 per month. However, this transition is contingent on the customer's current provider or biller having signed a new distribution agreement for HBO Max with WarnerMedia.[72][157]
On May 27, 2020, as part of an agreement with Time Warner that renewed its carriage contract for the Turner Broadcasting System networks and gave its over-the-top television service Sling TV distribution rights to the linear HBO channel. Dish Network secured an option to become a distribution partner for HBO Max following the exclusivity period with Apple.[158][159] HBO content is also available as a premium add-on for DirecTV Stream and Hulu for the same $14.99 price as HBO Max.[160]
In announcing HBO Max, WarnerMedia immediately confirmed that HBO subscribers on AT&T-owned platforms (including AT&T TV, DirecTV, U-verse, and AT&T Mobility) would receive HBO Max on-launch at no additional charge.[161][162] AT&T customers who are subscribed to their highest-tiered internet, TV and wireless plans would also receive HBO Max for free, while those on lower-tiered plans will get a free trial ranging from one month to one year.[163] Existing HBO Now subscribers billed directly by HBO were also migrated to HBO Max on-launch at no additional charge. On April 27, 2020, an agreement was announced for HBO Now subscribers via Apple (both in-app subscriptions and Apple TV Channels) to be migrated to HBO Max. Content from HBO Max would be listed in the Apple TV app along with there being a dedicated HBO Max hub in the app.[164][165] On Apple TV devices, HBO Max is available to the regular fourth generation Apple TV and fifth and sixth generation Apple TV 4K; earlier versions which do not support third-party app download are not supported.
WarnerMedia subsequently negotiated with other pay TV providers for similar arrangements.[157] On February 20, 2020, WarnerMedia announced a distribution deal with YouTube TV that would allow members to add HBO and Cinemax, while also being able to include HBO Max as an add-on.[166] On April 15, 2020, WarnerMedia announced a similar deal with Charter Spectrum (which acquired Warner's former cable division after it was spun off in 2009, in May 2016) to give access to HBO Max for HBO subscribers via their TV Everywhere credentials.[167] A similar agreement was announced with Hulu on May 1 for most existing subscribers via Hulu + Live TV, as well as being available as an add-on to all other plans on the service.[168] On May 20, 2020, it was announced that WarnerMedia had made distribution deals with Altice USA, Cox Communications, Xbox, Samsung, PlayStation, Verizon Communications and the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC).[169] An agreement with Comcast (Xfinity) was announced a few hours after the platform's launch.[170] Max is also available on Xfinity Flex and Cox Contour Stream Player.[171][172]
The most prominent platforms without agreements to carry HBO Max at the launch were Amazon (maker of the Fire TV and Fire HD devices) and Roku, which together are estimated to control 70% of the U.S. streaming player market.[170] With both platforms, non-Max HBO content remained available as usual through the companies' respective channels platforms and/or through HBO Now (which was rebranded to just "HBO" on July 31, 2020) while deals for HBO Max were being worked out. On May 13, 2020, John Stankey, CEO of AT&T, revealed to Variety that Amazon was very unlikely to become a launch partner for HBO Max; the parties have remained at an impasse following the launch, reportedly due to a disagreement about whether Amazon can host the additional Max programming directly on its Amazon Prime Video Channels platform as it does for HBO currently.[173][170] On November 16, 2020, it was announced that WarnerMedia and Amazon had reached an agreement to make HBO Max available on Fire TV and Fire Tablet devices beginning the following day, while also allowing subscribers of HBO via Prime Video Channels access to the HBO Max app at no extra cost (although the additional Max programming will still not be hosted on the Prime Video Channels platform).[174] The dispute with Roku was reported to hinge on carriage commissions and advertising sales on the future ad-supported tier.[170] On December 16, 2020, it was announced that WarnerMedia and Roku had reached an agreement to make HBO Max available on Roku devices beginning the following day, while also allowing subscribers of HBO via Roku Channels access to the HBO Max app at no extra cost (although the additional Max programming would still not be hosted on the Roku Channels platform); conversely, Roku remote controls from the past five years which included an HBO Now app shortcut button now route viewers directly to the HBO Max app instead.[175] Dish Network was also erroneously mentioned as a holdout in some media reports; HBO has not been available at all from Dish since late 2018 due to a separate dispute.[176] On July 29, 2021, WarnerMedia and Dish announced that they had reached an agreement to resolve the dispute and restore HBO to Dish's satellite service, along with offering access to HBO Max to HBO subscribers via Dish at no extra cost.[177]
There were plans for HBO Max to introduce an ad-supported tier by 2021,[178] with AT&T later announcing during their Investor Day event on March 12, 2021, that the tier would launch in June of the same year.[179] HBO original programming will continue to be ad-free for subscribers of the tier, but the tier will not allow access to Same-Day Premieres.[180] WarnerMedia later announced during their 2021 upfront presentation on May 19 that the ad-supported tier would launch during the first week of June at a price point of $9.99 a month.[181] The tier would end up launching on June 3, while also adding a yearly option for both tiers (priced at $99.99 a year for the ad-supported tier and $149.99 a year for the ad-free tier).[182]
Reception[edit]
As HBO Max[edit]
HBO Max received mixed reception from media observers on launch. The range of available content was generally well received, but many commented on the likelihood of confusion with HBO's other since-deprecated streaming platforms, HBO Go and HBO Now, and the service's higher subscription price compared to other newly launched streaming platforms like Disney+.[72][266][267] Television critics also expressed frustration that the library of original series (not including its former late night adult content) for sister network Cinemax was not originally available on HBO Max, though much of its output had arrived on the service by the end of 2021.[268]
AT&T announced in July 2020 that HBO Max had nominally achieved 26.6 million subscribers after its first month of operation, including 23.6 million wholesale customers, primarily legacy HBO pay TV subscribers that were covered by new agreements that added access to HBO Max at no extra charge.[269] However, only 4.1 million customers had activated their HBO Max accounts by the same date.[269] The latter figure was seen by many observers as a disappointment, particularly in light of Disney+ having reached 10 million subscribers within a day of launch; The New York Times's media critic Ben Smith wrote that WarnerMedia had "badly botched" the launch.[270]
However, AT&T executives contended that it had been a "flawless launch" citing increased customer engagement compared to HBO Now and overall growth in total subscriptions to either HBO or HBO Max (36.3 million, vs. 34.6 million HBO or HBO Now subscribers at the end of 2019), while acknowledging that there was more to do to persuade existing HBO subscribers to start using the HBO Max apps.[271] Executives had previously noted that HBO Max was starting from a different place than other streaming services as it was building on the existing HBO subscriber base, and had to work within the constraints of many of HBO's pre-existing deals (such as those with Amazon and Roku).[272]
In October 2020, AT&T revealed that the number of activated HBO Max subscribers had reached 8.6 million by the end of September, while the number of nominal (eligible) subscribers reached 28.7 million. The total number of HBO / HBO Max subscriptions in the U.S. also increased to 28 million.[273] With an agreement being reached the following month with Amazon (which is reported to have had 5 million HBO subscribers through Prime Video Channels), the number of HBO Max-eligible subscribers is understood to have increased to over 33 million.[174] In September 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery was sued by a shareholder, alleging that WarnerMedia had overstated the number of HBO Max subscribers by including unactivated subscriptions bundled with AT&T services.[274][275]
As Max[edit]
Upon its launch, it was noted that Max had grouped directors and writers for its films and television series under a singular "creators" credit.[276] The Directors Guild of America and Writers Guild of America West condemned the move amidst the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. Max announced that they would fix the credits, agreeing with the outcry from the guilds regarding proper credit for its creators, noting the altered credits were a result of "an oversight in the technical transition" from HBO Max to Max.[277] Deadline Hollywood reported the consolidation was a result of WBD's IT departments creating the "catch all" in order for the credits to be in place for launch, and that executives, who could have intervened, had been unaware of the single credit until the discourse arose online after its launch. Additionally, it was reported that it would take "weeks" to fix, given the service would need to make the adjustment on each platform.[278] The credits would later be fixed, beginning in late June.[279]
