Warner Bros. Discovery is once again changing the name of its streaming platform. Just two years after rebranding HBO Max to simply Max, the company announced it will revert to the original HBO Max branding starting this summer. The announcement was made during the company’s upfront presentation in New York on Wednesday.

CEO David Zaslav emphasized that the move is part of a strategic decision to focus on prestige storytelling and high-quality programming rather than volume.

“We are bringing back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in media, to further accelerate growth,” said Zaslav in a statement. The company, which has gained around 22 million new subscribers in the past year, is targeting a global subscriber base of over 150 million by 2026.

As reported by CNBC, over the last two years, Warner Bros. Discovery has improved its streaming division’s profitability by nearly $3 billion.

HBO Max was originally introduced in 2019 to highlight the platform’s broad range of content, blending HBO’s premium shows with other entertainment, including reality TV and documentaries. However, the name was changed to Max in 2023 following the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery Communications.

At that time, the aim was to downplay the HBO label to attract a wider audience. Now, Warner Bros. Discovery is reversing that decision, re-emphasizing the HBO brand to highlight quality over mass appeal.

The return of HBO Max is part of a broader wave of rebranding announcements during Upfronts week. ESPN revealed its new streaming platform will be called simply ESPN, and Fox introduced Fox One as its upcoming service. Warner Bros. Discovery originally launched HBO Max in 2020, then owned by AT&T, as a hub for both prestige and general content.

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