Warner Bros. is doing something odd with their shows. Though it might be a sustainable business model, it shows that the studio is losing faith. During the announcement conference, Warner Bros. tried to create a distinction between Max shows and HBO shows.
What’s the deal with WBD?
Firstly, let’s understand the difference between HBO and Max. Before the shakeups, HBO Max was the streaming platform, which was later rebranded to Max. HBO is a standalone premium cable network, a part of linear cable.
Whatever comes to HBO always stays on Max as well, but the HBO tag has more prestige. Fans appreciate the HBO tag more, and it has a wider fanbase.
Now, WBD is actively working on shows such as Harry Potter, It, and Lanterns. These shows, which were previously labeled as Max originals, are now being labeled as HBO originals.
Originally, HBO and Max shows were separated, with Warner Bros. IP reserved for Max, a strategy introduced by Bloys in 2020. This distinction aimed to provide clarity between HBO and Max content.
However, as shows were developed, they were created with similar approaches and often involved the same talent as HBO productions, leading to the recent decision to integrate Warner Bros. IP series back into HBO.
Just to give an idea, “Lanterns” features writers like Chris Mundy and Damon Lindelof, known for their HBO work, and is described by DC Studios’ Peter Safran as a high-quality HBO event similar to “True Detective.” With shows of this scale and talent, Bloys realized the distinction between HBO and Max felt unnecessary.
He concluded that these should simply be called HBO shows, reflecting their quality and scope.
Also, this change will be implemented from 2025, so shows like The Penguin or Dune: Prophecy will carry the Max Original label until then.