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One of the best streaming services money can buy just became a lot bigger as HBO Max has finally become Max. More than just your average re-title, Max will be combining all the prolific content from both HBO Max and Discovery+ following the massive merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery. Now, not only will Max be the home of content from HBO, Cartoon Network, Studio Ghibli, Turner Classic Movies, and more, but it will also be paired with a wealth of educational content from the Discovery Network and its various subsidiaries.
The move to put all of Warner Bros. Discovery's content under one roof follows a wealth of online criticism that there are too many subscription-based streaming services to keep track of. Other media conglomerates have taken notice of this as well, as The Walt Disney Company also announced that they would be following through with a similar strategy by merging Disney+ and Hulu (though they've also planned to do the same thing Warner Bros. Discovery did with Batgirl and purge some of their content). On the eve of Max's launch, Paramount also announced that it would be merging Paramount+ and Showtime under the name Paramount+ With Showtime.
With every new streaming service, there is always a fresh batch of questions. How much does the service cost? What exclusives will be able to stream on the service on day one? Perhaps most importantly of all, how does one access Max?
When Does Max go Live?
Despite being announced only a month ago, the release of Max is now here. As of today, May 23, 2023, subscribers are now able to log into Max using the same credentials that they used for HBO Max. You can use the link below to go directly Max's website.
Wil Existing HBO Max Accounts Automatically Transfer Over to Max?
Those who are already subscribed to HBO Max and are worried that they'll have to sign up for an all-new streaming service can put those fears to rest. All existing HBO Max accounts will automatically transfer over to the newly re-branded Max. That means that all the films and shows from HBO Max, as well as subscribers' watch history, will be right where subscribers left them before the merger, ensuring that this will be a smooth transition into a massive streaming entity.
Do I Need to Update HBO Max to Access Max?
Max will be an entirely new app on your devices, so you won't need to update the HBO Max app. However, you will have to download the new Max app on your devices.
How Does One Access Max?
Logging into Max when it launches on May 23rd should prove to be a simple task. New subscribers will need to go to the official Max website, pick one of the three subscription options, create their account, and boom. You'll now be able to experience everything that Max has to offer. Current HBO Max subscribers should have an even easier time logging into the service, simply using their existing HBO Max credentials to log in and see all the new bells and whistles attached to the new yet familiar service.
Related:The Best Movies on Max Right Now
How Much Does Max Cost?
Those who are also concerned Max will see a significant price increase in comparison to HBO Max can also rest easy, as the two current pricing plans for HBO Max will be the same on the new service, with the addition of one more pricing tier with extra benefits. The first and cheapest tier that's being brought over is the "Ad Light" option, which offers the entire Max library with limited ads for $9.99 USD per month or a discounted annual price of $99.99 USD per year. The second option is fairly self-explanatory, being the "Ad-Free" tier that removes ads from the service entirely and allows for the downloading of titles to watch without an internet connection, all for $15.99 USD per month or a discounted annual price of $149.99 USD per year. Finally, the new third option is the Ultimate Ad Free tier, which allows for four concurrent accounts to be on at a time and 4K resolution streaming, costing $19.99 USD per month or a discounted annual price of $199.99 USD per year.
What New Features Will Be Available on Max?
In addition to the new original content and existing content from Discovery+, Warner Bros. Discovery is also adding a few new qualities of life features to make the service that much better. The first is an all-new video player, which is promised to offer a much smoother viewing experience for subscribers. Max will also feature more personalization features than ever before, making it, so only content individual subscribers would be interested in appears in their accounts. Speaking of personalized content, Max is also introducing extensive parental controls to ensure that subscribers with younger children have them stick with Sesame Street instead of accidentally stumbling on Game of Thrones. Max's user interface has also been tweaked quite a bit to make it easy to navigate and find any sort of content subscribers may be looking for. Finally, exclusively for Max Ultimate Ad-Free subscribers, 4K Ultra High Definition streaming, meaning that select titles like Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings trilogy will look better than ever from the comfort of viewers' own homes.
Original Content You Can Expect to See on Max
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai - Releasing on the same day Max launches, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is an animated prequel series to the 1984 original film. Though it's expected to be a bit more family-friendly than the PG-rated horror flick, the upcoming series will shine a light on the adorable Gizmo's (A.J. LoCascio) life in China before he became a pet for an unsuspecting family in the United States. The show is packed with an all-star cast, including original Gremlins star Zach Galligan having a guest appearance. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai launches on Max on May 23rd, 2023.
The Penguin - A spin-off of Matt Reeves' The Batman, The Penguin sees Colin Farrell return to his sensational take on the iconic villain. The new series picks up where the film left off, giving Oswald Cobblepot the chance to rise through the ranks of Gotham City's disrupted underworld to end up on top. It's expected to be the first of several spin-offs set in Reeves' Bat-verse to go along with the filmmaker's planned trilogy. The Penguin is set to arrive on Max sometime in 2024.
Harry Potter - Perhaps the most ambitious project set to arrive at Max is serialized remake of the Harry Potter saga. Though the films based on the book series are fondly remembered, the new series has the chance to address storylines that were cut for the acclaimed movies. The upcoming show is expected to develop over the course of ten years with seven seasons, one for each book in J.K. Rowling's original novels. No release timeframe for the Max-exclusive series has been announced by Warner Bros. Discovery at this time.
