HBO Max, Discovery+ to merge into one service for summer 2023

The head of Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming services announced on Thursday the company is merging HBO Max and Discovery+ into one streaming app next summer.

During an earnings call, JB Perrette, CEO and president of global streaming and interactive for Warner Bros. Discovery, said launching HBO Max and Discovery+ as one packaged streaming service “was the only way we saw to make this a viable business,” according to Variety.

“HBO will always be the beacon and the ultimate brand that stands for television quality,” Perrette said, but merging it with Discovery+ would ensure “there’s something for everyone in the household.”

It’s unclear what the name for the new steaming service would be. Perrette did not mention those details, according to Variety.

The new service will launch in summer 2023 for the U.S. and Europe in 2024, with all markets expected to have the new streaming app by end of 2024, according to Variety.

HBO is the flagship entertainment television service for Warner Bros., with popular shows like “Game of Thrones,” the lauded “Succession” and the new hit “Euphoria.”

Subscriptions for HBO Max are priced at $14.99 for an ad-free experience and $9.99 with limited ads.

Discovery+, meanwhile, focuses on lifestyle and documentaries, hosting popular channels such as Food Network, TLC and Animal Planet. Subscriptions are priced at $6.99 per month ad free and $4.99 per month with ads.

For the second quarter, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that HBO, HBO Max and Discovery+ global subscribers increased by 1.7 million in Q2 compared to Q1, while revenues were also up year-over-year.

Warner Bros. Discovery also made headlines Wednesday when they scrapped the upcoming “Batgirl” film, a $90 million production that had already finished filming.

The company is reportedly trying to revamp its DC Comics universe, in part to better compete with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, owned by rival Disney.