Paramount is combining HBO Max and Paramount+ into a single streaming service as part of its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Together, the new service will serve roughly 200 million subscribers worldwide, giving it more scale to compete with Netflix and others.
Pricing, launch timing, and branding are still up in the air — but the aim is more content and a simpler streaming experience.
Paramount Skydance — the newly formed company after Paramount’s merger with Skydance — is planning to merge HBO Max and Paramount+ into a single streaming service.
This transformation is part of Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal worth around $110 billion that temporarily outpaced a competing offer from Netflix. Paramount CEO David Ellison shared the news during a recent call with investors.
"We will combine the streaming portfolios of the two companies into one stronger platform over the coming years," Ellison said during the call. "Across the two platforms, there are over 200 million DTC [direct to consumer] subscribers today and more than 100 countries and territories worldwide, positioning us to compete effectively with the leading streaming services in today's marketplace."
This would make the new streamer a competitor to Netflix’s roughly 325 million paid users, and on par with some of the largest services like Amazon’s Prime Video.
Preserving brand identity
Right now, HBO Max and Paramount+ each operate as separate platforms with different apps, price tiers, and content.
The plan is to fold them into one unified service so subscribers can access both HBO’s premium shows and movies and Paramount’s deep library — including sports, kids’ content, and major franchises — all under one roof.
Ellison says that Paramount intends to preserve the HBO brand identity, even as it combines the technology and catalogs of both services.
What consumers should know
This merger isn’t happening overnight, and many of the details still need to be ironed out.
Regulators will first need to approve the specifics of the Paramount-Warner Brothers deal, and the technical work of merging platforms will take time.
But here’s what you can expect and think about as things unfold:
One log-in, bigger library: Eventually, instead of juggling two separate apps and subscriptions, you’ll likely get access to all HBO Max and Paramount+ content in a single place.
Pricing changes could be coming: There’s no official price yet for the combined service. Industry experts expect the options to mirror what other streamers offer consumers, including a range of tiered options, and possibly ad-supported and ad-free plans.
Transition time: Even after approval, it may take months — or longer — to fully integrate everything into one service. Don’t expect the apps to disappear immediately!