HBO Max And Discovery+ To Launch Combined Services In 2023

HBO Max and Discovery+ have announced a combined streaming service will go live in the summer of 2023. The former streaming service was introduced by Warner Bros. in the middle of 2020. It was launched with the intention of competing with services like Disney+, Netflix, and Hulu as they gathered content from HBO, WB, and other WarnerMedia brands, such as Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.

HBO Max has since become the home for a variety of original movies and TV shows. This includes Ridley Scott’s Raised by Wolves, Our Flag Means Death by Taika Waititi, and James Gunn’s Peacemaker. On the other hand, Discovery+, which first debuted in India and hosted unique cable network programming, didn’t reach the American market until early 2021.

Many people initially had conflicting opinions about the streaming service. Since they thought Discovery titles would switch from the channel to Discovery+ as part of former WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar’s ambitions to develop the company’s streaming platforms. Following the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery, plans were announced for HBO Max and Discovery+ to merge into a single service. And subscribers are now learning when this plan will be implemented.

HBO Max And Discovery+ to launch combined services by summer 2023

During a recent earnings call (via The Wrap), Warner Bros. Discovery revealed the launch date for the HBO Max and Discovery combined streaming service. The new platform is set to launch in the United States in Summer 2023. It will be followed by Latin America in the fall and international markets in 2024. Gunnar Wiedenfels, Studio CFO, stated:

“Warner Bros. Discovery’s unmatched depth and breadth of content provides us the opportunity to offer something for everyone. Providing consumers with a range of entertainment options will maximize our reach and financial returns.”

With a year until the HBO Max and Discovery+ combined streaming service launches, a number of details about the new rollout remain largely unknown. This includes how pricing and subscriber transitions will be handled. In recent months, subscribers have received offers to combine their HBO Max and Discovery+ subscriptions.

Similar to what Disney has done with Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+, and what Paramount has done with Paramount+, Showtime Anytime, and BET+. Given that HBO Max and Discovery+ will be merging not only their libraries, but also their 100+ million combined subscribers, a price increase appears likely.