HBO Max is simply Max now. Warner Bros. Discovery, which was formed after Warner Bros. and Discovery merged, announced that HBO Max and Discovery Plus are merging to create a combined platform called Max. The new streaming service, which will stream a slate of new titles and programmes, is coming up on May 23 with three subscription tiers.
Max will be available at monthly prices of $9.99 for the Ad Lite plan, $15.99 for the Ad-free plan, and $19.99 for the Ultimate plan. While the first two plans remain the same, the top-tier plan brings 4K/HDR streams with support for Dolby Atmos, simultaneous streaming on up to four devices, and 100 downloads. The streaming quality in the first two tiers maxes out at HD with only two concurrent streams.
“Max is the one to watch,” CEO David Zaslav said. “It’s the one to watch because it’s the place every member of the household can go to see exactly what they want at any given time.”
Although the decision to drop HBO, a name that is identified with its tentpole shows such as Game of Thrones, Last of Us, and Succession, comes across as surprising, Warner Bros. Discovery has planned a range of programmes to bring more customers to its new streaming service. At its Reveal event, the company announced DC’s The Penguin, a spinoff of The Big Bang Theory, another spinoff of Game of Thrones, and a new spin on The Conjuring franchise. And to top them all, Max will be the home to the reboot of the Harry Potter franchise but in a show format.
Warner Bros. Discovery said the HBO Max app will be replaced by Max on May 23, but the Discovery Plus will remain as-is. Your HBO Max profiles, watch histories, and payment information will be automatically migrated to Max as and when it launches.
Is Max coming to India?
It’s unclear right now. Although Warner Bros. Discovery has previously tried to launch HBO Max in India, its attempts were in vain. It did not mention anything about India or additional markets at the event. This was when HBO’s marquee programmes were available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar and some on Amazon Prime Video. However, the entire HBO catalogue left Disney+ Hotstar in March, leaving fans in limbo.
Amazon Prime Video last year secured rights to stream HBO Original programmes such as Gossip Girl, The Flight Attendant, renewed Sex and the City, and DC Super Hero series Peacemaker. But the fate of more popular shows such as House of the Dragon, Game of Thrones, Sopranos, and Last of Us is unclear. A report earlier this year suggested that Warner Bros. Discovery might license these titles to Amazon Prime Video for streaming in India on an on-demand basis.
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FAQs
Though Max includes a lot of the content that you can find on Discovery Plus, the two platforms remain available as separate services. If you're a Discovery Plus member, you can keep your Discovery Plus membership with no additional fees. And viewers can still sign up for Discovery Plus on its own.
Do I need to pay for Discovery Plus if I have Max? ›
Your discovery+ subscription isn't affected by the launch of Max. discovery+ will continue as a stand-alone service.
Is Discovery Plus free with HBO Max? ›
Discovery and discovery+ subscribers in the US can sign up for Max and stream HBO Max and select Discovery content together on Max. You can sign up at Max.com or through one of our partners. Max plans start at $9.99/month. discovery+ continues as a stand-alone service.
What happens when HBO Max becomes Max? ›
Will I Still Have Access to HBO Content on Max? Max will be the streaming home of HBO and include everything already on HBO Max. This means if you're in the middle of a series or have 30 minutes left in a hit movie, you won't have to miss a beat.
Do you have to pay for Discovery Plus? ›
Free membership. Differing from other streaming services, Discovery Plus has a free tier. Users can simply register for an account, which will then give them access to live TV and a 30-day catch-up period for channels such as Quest, Really, Quest Red, HGTV, Food Network, and DMAX at no cost but does include ads.
How to stream Max for free? ›
How to get Max for free — here are 3 ways
- Is there a Max free trial? ...
- Max's free episode library. ...
- Free Max with unlimited Cricket Wireless plan. ...
- Free Max with cable subscription. ...
- Disney Plus, Hulu and Max bundle.
Yes! You can watch a large selection of discovery+ content for no cost. In the discovery+ app, you'll find a variety of free content in the Free Watch and Shorts sections.
What happens to my discovery+ subscription? ›
Your discovery+ subscription automatically renews until you cancel it. Deleting the discovery+ app does not cancel your subscription.
What is the cheapest way to get Discovery Plus? ›
discovery+ subscription plans start at $4.99 per month, with an ad-free version available for $8.99 per month.
Is discovery+ going away? ›
Is Discovery Plus going away? No, despite HBO Max merging with Discovery Plus, Discovery Plus will still be its own streaming service with separate plans. Its content will also be available on Max. The ad-free plan costs $6.99 per month, while the ad-lite plan is $4.99 per month.
What happens to existing subscribers? As of May 23, HBO Max is rebranded and replaced by Max. Users should still be able to access the service using their existing passwords and logins on their devices. You won't pay any more for Max than you did for HBO Max, at least until November 2023.
Is Discovery getting rid of HBO Max? ›
Warner Bros. Discovery replaced HBO Max with Max in May, bundling both HBO and Discovery Plus content in one platform.
What's the difference between Max and HBO Max? ›
How is Max different from HBO Max? Max brings all the programming that you love from HBO Max together with favorites from Discovery TV brands: HGTV, the Food Network, TLC, Magnolia Network, and more – all for the same great price.
Is HBO Max being ended? ›
HBO Max is now Max after its parent company merged with Discovery — and there are big changes to the platform. In April 2022, WarnerMedia (which owns HBO Max) merged with Discovery (which owns Discovery+), creating a new company called Warner Bros. Discovery.
Will Max cost more than HBO Max? ›
Former HBO Max subscribers now have a subscription to Max at the same price. Max features the same movies and premium HBO programming as HBO Max did and adds content from these sources and more: The DC Universe.
Is Investigation Discovery on Max? ›
Watch Investigation Discovery Shows | Max. Heads-up, armchair detective: the best in true crime is here.
What does Max include now? ›
Max includes: HBO series and movies, Max Originals, and select series and movies from Warner Bros., DC, Cartoon Network, Wizarding World, Adult Swim, Home & Health, ID, Discovery Kids, Discovery, and more.
Is discovery+ content available with prime? ›
Amazon Prime members can add discovery+ to Prime Video Channels.
What all does Discovery Plus include? ›
What can I watch on Discovery Plus? Discovery Plus is home to an extensive library of content from multiple networks, including Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, Food Network, HGTV, ID, A&E, History, Lifetime, OWN, Travel, Science Network, CNN, and more.
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