HBO Max & Discovery+'s Combined Service To Launch In Summer 2023

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As one has been at the center of controversy, it's been confirmed that the HBO Max and Discovery+ combined streaming service will officially launch in Summer 2023. The former streaming service was launched in mid-2020 by Warner Bros. in the hopes of competing with the likes of Disney+, Netflix and Hulu as they built a library with titles from HBO, WB and other brands owned by WarnerMedia, including Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. HBO Max has also gone on to be the home for a number of original films and TV shows, some of which have included James Gunn's Peacemaker, Taika Waititi's Our Flag Means Death and Ridley Scott's Raised by Wolves.

Discovery+, on the other hand, didn't hit the United States market until early 2021 after first launching in India and was home to exclusive programs from the cable network. The streaming service initially saw some divisive responses as many believed Discovery titles would move away from the channel and onto Discovery+ in former WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar's efforts to build the company's streaming platforms. With the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery, plans were announced for HBO Max and Discovery+ to combine into one service and now subscribers are learning of when this plan will come to fruition.

During a recent company earnings call (via The Wrap), Warner Bros. Discovery revealed when the HBO Max and Discovery combined streaming service will launch. The new platform is set to roll out in the United States in Summer 2023, with Latin America following in the fall and international markets getting the service in 2024. Studio CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels said about the launch:

“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 still to go until the HBO Max and Discovery+ combined streaming service launches, a number of details about the new rollout are still largely unknown, namely how pricing and the transition of subscribers will be handled. The past few months have seen offers go out to subscribers to bundle their HBO Max and Discovery+ subscriptions together, much like Disney has done with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ as well as Paramount with Paramount+, Showtime Anytime and BET+. Given HBO Max and Discovery+ will not only be merging their libraries, but also their 100+ million combined subscribers, it seems likely a price increase could be right around the corner.

What will be interesting to see is how the programming will move forward with the HBO Max and Discovery+ combined service. This week has seen HBO Max come under fire as Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has made a number of divisive decisions about the streamer, including cancelling the Batgirl movie, quietly removing multiple TV shows and movies from their library and reportedly planning to stop producing scripted shows and enact massive layoffs within the company. With the WBD merger still fresh and Zaslav eager to clear up the $3 billion in debt he inherited from former WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar, it will be interesting to see what else the future holds for the streaming platforms.