Warner Bros. Discovery ignited a wave of social media reactions Wednesday when it announced it was changing the name of its streaming service, Max, back to its previous name, HBO Max.
The platform has been rebranded a total four times now. It began as HBO Go and was rebranded into HBO Now before it was then given the HBO Max moniker. In 2023, WBD then dropped the “HBO” from the service’s title. Now, two years later, Warner Bros. has chosen to undo that decision.
While the studio itself tried to poke fun at the announcement Wednesday morning, its inability to settle on one long-term name for its premiere streaming service has once again become the subject of much mockery and criticism online. One X user told Warner Bros., “Make up your mind,” while another joked in all-caps, “I JUST GOT USED TO MAX GODD—T.”
A different user, meanwhile, expressed their sympathy for the workers in charge of creating HBO Max’s promotional materials, tweeting, “Think of all the assets that need to be rebranded … again.”
Here are some of the best reactions to the news from around the internet.
https://t.co/LZ4RKYRF92 pic.twitter.com/Qj7dTyIE1g
— Max (@StreamOnMax) May 14, 2025
What she said. pic.twitter.com/nUDClK8i9G
— HBO (@HBO) May 14, 2025
https://t.co/8tVJeFyUEP pic.twitter.com/gLseZE8ack
— Max (@StreamOnMax) May 14, 2025
me explaining how HBO went from HBO Now to HBO Go to HBO Max to Max then back to HBO Max pic.twitter.com/H6751it1Xc
— Spencer Barrett (@spencerbarrett) May 14, 2025
The Internet successfully bullied them into walking back on it, that's hilarious https://t.co/DwbMWQU9eg
— Elijah E (@EnderEli1146) May 14, 2025
https://t.co/6J6Mpuwg21 pic.twitter.com/eDOSmJw2xH
— Churro (@evoulie) May 14, 2025
HBO going from HBO Now to HBO Go to HBO Max to Max then back to HBO Max…. https://t.co/t6wxTGqlaD pic.twitter.com/GBihoT4Bb1
— cardi (@cardiBTC) May 14, 2025
I never stopped calling it HBO Max btw, maybe Im the problem https://t.co/2Kcd3NwITg pic.twitter.com/V7NLMY7RqV
— Kay (@LegendaryKay__) May 14, 2025
Everyone who kept calling it HBO max: pic.twitter.com/alLblGSLlR
— Top Notch Jefe (@FilmmakerJeff) May 14, 2025
Warner Bros. Discovery staff having to deal with these rebrands every couple of years:
— ryan w (@SourceRyan) May 14, 2025
HBO Go > HBO Now > HBO Max > Max > HBO Max pic.twitter.com/s609UUFH9C
Can’t wait until HBO MAX just goes back to being HBO
— Tate Frazier (@tatefrazier) May 14, 2025
Warner Bros. explained the reasoning behind its decision to walk back its 2023 Max rebranding, noting Wednesday that the choice was guided by “changing consumer needs, and the fact that no consumer today is saying they want more content, but most consumers are saying they want better content.”
“With the course we are on and strong momentum we are enjoying, we believe HBO Max far better represents our current consumer proposition,” Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content said. “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.”
The latest HBO Max rebrand is schedule to take effect this summer.
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