“We believe HBO Max far better represents our current consumer proposition,” Bloys explained. “And it clearly states our implicit promise to deliver content that is recognized as unique and—to steal a line we always said at HBO—worth paying for.”
“We will continue to focus on what makes us unique—not everything for everyone in a household, but something distinct and great for adults and families,” echoed JB Perrette, president and CEO of streaming. “It’s really not subjective, not even controversial—our programming just hits different.”
WBD has seen a substantial bounce in its streaming numbers, buoyed in large part by HBO event series like The Last of Us and The White Lotus, which have regularly appeared on the Nielsen charts. The company reports that it has increased its streaming profitability by nearly $3 billion in the past two years, and now reaches 22 million subscribers around the world.
HBO is also about to launch what’s arguably the biggest series in its history… and certainly the most expensive. This summer, Season 1 of the long-in-the-works Harry Potter streaming series goes before cameras in London, returning viewers to the Wizarding World. Other big IP-driven shows in the works include Lanterns, based on DC Comics’ resident emerald space cop, and Welcome to Derry, a Pennywise prequel inspired by Stephen King’s It.
Just remember: When you go to stream those shows, it’s not HBO… it’s HBO Max.
