Warner Bros. Discovery wants to put HBO brand before Max

Max may not be the anticipated standout streaming platform after all. In an unexpected move, Warner Bros. Discovery is rebranding multiple projects that were initially billed as Max Originals as HBO Originals instead. This strategic shift aims to distinguish the type of content released under these two brand umbrellas. This is prepared by SSP.

Earlier, both The Penguin and Dune: Prophecy were set to be exclusive to Max. However, Warner Bros. Discovery has now chosen to market them as HBO Originals. This decision aligns with the company's goal to have simultaneous premieres on both Max and HBO, following the success of renowned series such as House of the Dragon and Succession. It appears that Warner Bros. Discovery, helmed by CEO David Zaslav, aims to capitalize on the strength of established franchises like Batman and Dune, flooding the streaming space with innovative and engaging intellectual property.

This shift in approach indicates a reconsideration of Warner Bros. Discovery's previous focus on Max over HBO. While Max had been intended to represent the primary streaming brand, Warner Bros. Discovery recognizes the distinct recognition and nostalgia associated with HBO, synonymous with the advent of cable television.

Content head Casey Bloys candidly addressed the decision to rebrand upcoming projects based on Harry Potter, Lanterns, and Welcome to Derry as HBO Originals. Bloys conveyed that labeling content based on intellectual property eventually became unnecessary as the creative teams behind these productions utilized similar methods and thoughts to those working on traditional HBO shows. Notably, the involvement of HBO veterans in the Harry Potter series and Damon Lindelof's Lanterns, drawing inspirations from True Detective, further highlights their alignment with HBO's renowned quality.

It seems that Warner Bros. Discovery realizes that the attempt to propel Max's success solely by attaching the name to series that audiences would likely watch anyway did not yield the desired outcome. Instead, they now opt for a more logical approach by embracing the identity that these shows naturally possess—HBO shows.

Despite the best efforts of David Zaslav, many still perceive Max as HBO going through an identity crisis, struggling to find its place after a corporate reconfiguration. This recent pivot back to HBO suggests that Max will not exclusively debut Warner Bros. Discovery's higher-budget new series intended to attract larger audiences.

This decision does not imply a scarcity of content for Max, but it does seem that Warner Bros. Discovery could have saved significant time and resources by adhering to what was already successful—the illustrious HBO brand.