HBO Max Just Made An Unexpected Deal With A Huge Competitor
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Since the decision was made to merge Warner Bros. and Discovery to create Warner Bros. Discovery, the business has been undergoing a slew of changes and lots of drama. According to Deadline, HBO Max has unveiled their latest major shift: the streamer is striking up a deal with Amazon Prime that will allow Prime users to add the channel to their overall package. While it may seem like an out-of-the-blue decision, it’s actually one that makes a lot of sense since Discovery+ has been one of Amazon Prime’s option-able channels since 2021.
One major reason the news may come as a shock to subscribers is because HBO Max was once a part of Amazon Prime Channels, before departing from the platform in 2021. The move proved to be a massive hit to WarnerMedia as they revealed that following their leave, the company suffered a loss of 5 million subscribers over the quarter. The new partnership will allow Prime Video members to tack on an HBO Max subscription for $14.99 per month with the contract expected to be up for renewal in five years.
The business deal will be a big opportunity for HBO Max to drive up viewership on its platforms, therefore allowing it to rake in more money, something it desperately needs following the merger. After Warner Bros. and Discovery joined forces, several projects were canned and canceled, including the much-talked-about Batgirl film that was completely wrapped when it was dropped from the docket. At the same time, with the streamer finding a great rhythm in hits like House of the Dragon and The White Lotus, it’s almost a guarantee that Amazon Prime Video users will add the option when it becomes available.
To solidify the merger for streaming subscribers, HBO Max and Discovery+ have plans to combine their forces in 2023, unleashing a ton of new content all in one place. With the addition also comes a major name change as it was recently revealed that the streamers will drop their current titles, forming under the umbrella of “Max”. While the name could change over the next few months, at this time it sounds like Warner Bros. Discovery has made up their minds and settled on “Max.”
Along with the big news for HBO Max and Amazon Prime, a statement was released in which Warner Bros. Discovery Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer, Bruce Campbell, said that the company is searching for new ways to make sure that the fan-favorite service would become “available to as broad an audience as possible” all while delivering the content they’re known for. Piggybacking off Campbell’s comments, JB Perrette, CEO and President, Global Streaming and Games for Warner Bros. Discovery said the company would strive to “delight customers” with their programming as well as “continue to collaborate” with other big names in the biz to “best serve our subscribers.” Although audiences were prepared to raise pitchforks after CEO David Zaslav axed a bunch of popular titles, it sounds as though with the latest partnership, those top dogs at Warner Bros. Discovery will be churning out more sought-after content to get a wave of subscribers when they land on Prime Video Channels in 2023.
