HBO has undergone significant changes recently, restoring its original brand name and rebranding several of its channels. This article explores the reasons behind these changes and their implications for subscribers.
Why HBO Is Rebranding Everything
On July 9, 2025, HBO Max was officially restored to its original name, “HBO Max,” putting an end to the peculiar two-year period where it was simply known as “Max.” (Though it seems Twitter hasn’t forgotten.)
Channel Name Changes
In less than two months, six of HBO’s seven linear television channels have undergone name changes: HBO2 is now HBO Hits, HBO Signature is now HBO Drama, HBO Zone is now HBO Movies, MoreMAX is now Cinemax Hits, ActionMAX is now Cinemax Action, and 5starMAX is now Cinemax Classics.
These changes are also reflected in HBO Max’s live in-app “Channels” (available on select plans), allowing subscribers to stream live HBO programming through simulcasts.
The Rationale Behind Rebranding
Yes, HBO is rebranding extensively. While it may seem trivial and invite jokes about David Zaslav overworking his branding and marketing teams, it’s essential to recognize that many of these platforms had uninspired names. (Some were the result of his and JB Perrette’s decisions, while most were not.)
In 2023, following the April 2022 merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. to form Warner Bros. Discovery, the established streaming service HBO Max was simplified to just Max. The rationale was that the “HBO” brand was underutilized, as it also encompassed Discovery and Turner programming, alongside DC content. However, this rebranding inadvertently removed the platform’s flagship title.
In May 2025, HBO chairman and CEO Casey Bloys announced the rebranding of HBO Max, stating, “We believe ‘HBO Max’ far better represents our current consumer proposition. It clearly states our implicit promise to deliver content that is recognized as unique and, to borrow a phrase we often used at HBO, worth paying for.”
He added, “Returning the HBO brand to HBO Max will further drive the service forward and amplify the uniqueness that subscribers can expect from the offering.”
Channel Name Analysis
The name “HBO2” was adequate but not particularly imaginative. It primarily featured reruns and overflow content from HBO, which the name suggested. While it didn’t need changing, it has been revised multiple times. At one point, HBO2 was referred to as “HBO Plus,” which could have caused confusion in a landscape filled with services like Disney+, Discovery+, ESPN+, Apple TV+, and more.
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Now, “HBO Hits” is a decent name. “HBO Signature” wasn’t terrible, but “HBO Drama” is slightly more descriptive. Its previous name, “HBO3,” was also acceptable, though its secondary status was evident. HBO Zone’s rebranding to “HBO Movies” is a significant improvement.
Recently, we had an “HBO Family” channel, but that has been eliminated. HBO Comedy and HBO Latino remain unchanged.
According to an HBO spokesperson, today’s mass rebranding is “solely a name change to more clearly reflect the linear offering.” The programming on these networks will remain the same.
Cinemax, along with its Spanish-language counterpart, Cinemáx, has been around, but names like “MoreMAX” and “ActionMAX” were never clear about their connection to the main Cinemax channel. They were previously known as “Cinemax 2” and “Cinemax 3.” As for “5starMax,” it sounded like a subpar boy band from the ‘90s and definitely needed to go.
In an era when Paramount has largely sidelined its Showtime brand, revitalizing Cinemax—a previously secondary player to HBO and Showtime—is a strategic move. However, it’s worth noting that these ancillary HBO and Cinemax channels don’t significantly impact subscriber numbers. HBO and HBO Max users pay between $10 and $21 (depending on the linear options) primarily for the prestige dramas and Max Originals, which still retain their name… for now.
