Warner Bros. Discovery is planning to alter its streaming plans in the near future. During a recent earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery announced its plan to merge HBO Max and Discovery into one streaming service. The platform does not have a title just yet, but it is expected to debut in the U.S. next summer. From there, the company will look to roll out the service in Latin America and Europe in 2024.
The streaming service is expected to be split into two tiers. A report from The Hollywood Reporter indicates that the initial service will be offered to paying customers in 2023. Once the initial service is “firmly established” in the marketplace, a free, ad-supported version with some of the company’s content will be offered.
“Our streaming strategy has evolved over the last year, and reflects the importance of, rather than the dependence on [streaming],” Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
News of Warner Bros. Discovery’s forthcoming streaming service concludes a week of movement around HBO Max. Most notably, Batgirl moved off of the streaming service’s content schedule with no plans for a release. Then, several films like Superintelligence and Charm City Kings moved off of the platform without prior warning. Most recently, a number of Magnolia Network shows moved on to HBO Max. More changes will come as HBO Max and Discovery+ continue to transform into one platform.
