Warner Bros Discovery Inc (NASDAQ:WBD) has unveiled its new streaming service, which combines HBO Max and Discovery+ content in the wake of the WanerMedia-Discovery merger last year.
The new service, known as Max, will launch on May 23 to subscribers in the US, with Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and other markets to follow in 2024.
Max will retain the same pricing as its HBO Max predecessor: $9.99 per month for the ad-supported tier and $15.99 per month for the ad-free plan. There will also be a $19.99 option called “Max Ultimate Free,” which will include 4K HDR video quality, the ability to stream on four devices simultaneously and 100 offline downloads.
Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) has a similar $19.99/month premium plan with Ultra HD video quality.
Max subscribers will get access to thousands of titles from scripted HBO Max series including “Succession” and “Game of Thrones” alongside unscripted Discovery+ shows like “90 Day Fiancé” and “Fixer Upper,” among others.
Other features new to Max include parental controls and a default kids profile set up automatically for new subscribers.
Notably, Discovery+ will also remain a standalone streaming service, so its subscribers can keep their $4.99 ad-supported or $9.99 ad-free plans without switching to the pricer Max.
WBD has previously said it is developing new titles for The Lord of the Rings franchise, a prequel series for Stephen King’s “It” and a Sherlock Holmes TV universe, among others. The company also officially confirmed today that a Harry Potter Max Original series is coming.
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