Max got here into existence when Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) determined to ship Hbo Max into an early retirement, and create a brand new streaming service to take its place. The brand new-look platform – which additionally incorporates components of the expansive Discovery Plus library – has been accessible to US subscribers since Could 2023.

HBO Max was already among the best streaming providers round, and – whereas it is nonetheless early days – that hasn’t actually modified within the switchover to Max. In addition to all that new content material from DIscovery, the streamer is brimming with the form of high quality output we have come to affiliate with Warner Bros, an organization that boasts DC, HBO, Grownup Swim and a century’s value of films and TV beneath its huge umbrella.

Now, two months into Max’s existence, you are most likely questioning the way it differs from its predecessor, in addition to searching for info on how a lot it prices, whether or not it’s potential to stream in 4K, and what the switchover means in your earlier HBO Max subscription. Beneath we reply all these questions and extra, however when you’re after a good deeper dive into the information, take a look at our useful seven issues HBO Max followers have to know in regards to the new streamer information.

Max is already up and operating – learn on to be sure you’re up-to-date on every little thing it’s essential to know earlier than you log in.

What’s Max?

Max is the results of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) merging its streaming platforms, HBO Max and Discovery Plus, collectively.

The leisure behemoth, which itself was fashioned when Warner Bros. and Discovery merged in March 2022, confirmed in April 2023 that it was combining the platforms right into a single entity. It is value noting, nevertheless, that Discovery Plus continues to be accessible as a separate service.

In essence, then, Max is an even bigger and extra streamlined streaming service than its siblings. Not solely do you acquire entry to all of HBO Max’s huge library (together with each DCEU movie and TV present, Cartoon Community, Grownup Swim, and extra), you will additionally be capable of stream one of the best packages from Discovery Plus’ TV manufacturers, together with TLC, Magnolia Community, and HGTV.

Listed here are a few of the different huge advantages that the brand new service gives over its predecessor:

• Smarter suggestions
• Improved efficiency
• Simpler to register and use
• Profile PIN for grownup profiles
• New hubs and genres

Crucially, when you had been already subscribed to HBO Max earlier than Could 23 (Max’s launch day), your account ought to have been robotically converted to the brand new service. Which means needn’t fear about cancelling your present plan and signing as much as a brand new one. Your HBO Max profile, watch historical past, and settings (together with parental controls) are carried over to WBD’s newest streamer, too.

You’ll, although, have to obtain the Max app in your gadget of alternative (extra on these later) or head to Max.com to start streaming by way of an internet browser. Moreover, your HBO Max downloads and Customized Profile Photos don’t carry over onto the brand new service, so you will have to redownload the previous and choose a unique avatar for the latter.

The place is Max at the moment accessible?

That is the place issues get barely extra difficult. At the moment, HBO Max has solely been rebranded to Max in america. HBO Max customers in Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific areas – the place the platform is accessible – will not discover any title change till Q3 2023, Q1 2024, and Q2 2024 respectively (per Variety). So, when you’re a non-US HBO Max buyer, you needn’t fear about any huge modifications but.

It is unclear how the renaming of WBD’s main streamer will influence the offers it has with nations the place Max/HBO Max aren’t accessible. Within the UK and Australia, for instance, HBO-developed films and TV reveals air on Sky and Foxtel respectively. These licensing agreements aren’t anticipated to finish till someday in 2025, so it is seemingly that WBD’s HBO Max-based contracts with Sky and Foxtel will merely proceed as they’re. Nonetheless, Discovery Plus is accessible within the UK, so some negotiations could also be required between WBD, Sky, and BT Group (the latter being Discovery Plus’s UK distribution companion) to make sure there is no contractual disputes over who can air what.

Max worth: how a lot does it price?

There are three Max worth factors to select from, with the costlier tiers providing additional perks over their cost-based cousins. All three can be found for month-to-month and annual charges, with the latter bagging you a tidy 20% saving when you go for a 12-month deal.

This is a better have a look at what’s accessible:

In the event you’re subscribed to HBO via your cable or satellite tv for pc TV package deal, web plan, or wi-fi plan, the Max home page explains that customers might have entry to Max at no additional price. You may want to go to the Max providers page to see when you’re eligible, nevertheless.

WBD has additionally promised that present subscribers “will nonetheless have entry to their present plan options for no less than six months following launch” – excellent news within the quick time period, although it may imply pricing modifications are potential later within the 12 months. We’ll replace this part as soon as we study extra.

Is there a Max free trial?

The quick reply isn’t any. As soon as upon a time, potential subscribers had been allowed to present HBO Max a free spin for seven days earlier than deciding whether or not to enroll, however since December 2020 that wasn’t an possibility on HBO Max – and that is additionally the case with Max.

As you may see in our HBO Max free trial article, it remained potential to get seven-day trials with the service when you signed up via Hulu or Amazon Prime Video. It is at the moment unclear, nevertheless, whether or not this partnership will transfer ahead now that HBO Max has been changed by Max. Once more, we’ll replace this a part of the article when WBD has extra to share.

Max films: DCEU, Elvis, Dune and extra

Max is filled with loads of critically-acclaimed and highly-rated films. Netflix’s library would possibly comprise notable highlights from different studios, however Max gives tons of fantastic movies from Warner Bros’ personal again catalog.

So, what’s on provide? For one, an eclectic vary of films primarily based on DC Comics, together with Batman (1989), Joker, The Darkish Knight, Aquaman, Black Adam and the latest Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Style films are usually effectively represented, with The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, and The Matrix films additionally accessible. Check out our devoted information to one of the best Max films for our top-tier decisions and our new Max films listing for the most recent films to hit the platform.

Certainly one of Max’s bespoke channels options Studio Ghibli films, which provides subscribers entry to each animated movie from the legendary studio, together with Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and My Neighbor Totoro. One other channel – TCM (Turner Traditional Motion pictures) – delivers loads of classics, equivalent to Casablanca and Some Prefer it Scorching. 

It is also value noting that Max’s film choices aren’t restricted to Warner Bros releases. For instance, Disney’s blockbusting Avatar: The Means of Water is not simply accessible on Disney Plus, as Max has turn out to be the beneficiary of a earlier deal signed between twentieth Century Fox and Warner Bros earlier than Disney acquired Fox in March 2019. The settlement sees choose twentieth Century Studios films additionally made accessible on WBD’s streaming platforms.

Whereas Covid-19 pandemic briefly prompted HBO Max to launch high-profile Warner Bros films equivalent to Dune and The Matrix Resurrections concurrently they made their theatrical debuts, this coverage was deserted a while in the past. Even so, Max nonetheless provides Netflix and Disney Plus a run for his or her cash in relation to latest blockbuster releases.

Max reveals: Succession, The Final of Us, The White Lotus and extra

Max might have ditched the HBO from its branding however the cable behemoth’s acclaimed content material stays a serious a part of the brand new streaming service’s providing – and that is an enormous purpose to be cheerful.

Certainly, that reference to HBO signifies that few platforms can compete with the TV drama providing accessible on Max, with long-standing classics equivalent to The Wire, The Sopranos and Recreation of Thrones sitting alongside more moderen (however equally acclaimed) fare equivalent to Chernobyl, Succession, Euphoria, Home of the Dragon, The Final of Us, The White Lotus, and The Flight Attendant. (However not, sadly, Westworld, which was unexpectedly pulled from HBO Max earlier this 12 months.)

And HBO is not simply recognized for its extremely bingeable dramas. Smash-hit comedies together with Curb Your Enthusiasm and Veep can be found, alongside documentaries like McMillions and The Case In opposition to Adnan Sayed. HBO’s wealthy historical past of stand-up specials can also be showcased, with a few of the greatest US comedians’ dwell reveals accessible to stream.

Older reveals from Warner’s archive (and past) assist complement the HBO providing. Max has the unique US rights to all 10 seasons of Pals and all 26 seasons of South Park. The Huge Bang Concept, The Center, Younger Sheldon, The Nanny, and The Contemporary Prince of Bel-Air are among the many different sitcoms you may get pleasure from as effectively.

Nice animated reveals from the ’90s like Batman: The Animated Collection, the Superman present and the extra futuristic Batman Past could be beamed proper into your lounge, too. And, when you’re after some anime, Crunchyroll has a channel on Max that provides a broad choice. Entry to Cartoon Community encompasses reveals like Steven Universe and Journey Time, whereas the channel’s extra grown-up cousin, Grownup Swim, provides not-for-kids reveals like Rick and Morty, Robotic Rooster and Aqua Teen Starvation Power.

Import reveals embrace Italian crime drama Gomorrah, Brit hit I Hate Suzie, and the 13 seasons of Physician Who which have aired since its massively profitable 2005 reboot. Nonetheless, the BBC’s Time Lord is heading to Disney Plus a while in 2023 following a brand new settlement, so it is unclear whether or not it’s going to warp away from Max later this 12 months.

For extra suggestions encompassing Max’s spectacular suite of TV content material, take a look at our complete information to one of the best Max reveals.

• La Unidad (TV sequence) – releasing July 21
• The Golden Boy (film documentary) – releasing July 24
• After the Chew (film documentary) – releasing July 26
• Harley Quinn season 4 (TV sequence) – releasing July 27
• Gotham Knights (TV sequence) – releasing July 28
• Superman & Lois season 3 (TV sequence) – releasing 28 July
• August: Osage County (film) – releasing July 29

Max vs HBO: what is the distinction?

The distinction between HBO and Max comes right down to the vary of programming you may entry. Subscribing to HBO will mean you can stream each unique sequence and films that the premium channel has to supply. 

Signing up for Max, in the meantime, will get you greater than triple the content material. You will not solely acquire entry to Max’s originals line-up, however you will get every little thing on HBO and quite a few different channels, equivalent to Grownup Swim and one of the best of Discovery Plus’s again catalog.

Basically, there is no purpose to get HBO over Max. They price the identical, however you get far more stuff with the latter. 

What gadgets is Max accessible on?

Wish to know what gadgets help Max by way of net browsers or its app? Learn the listing beneath:

• Amazon Hearth tablets (4th era or later)
• Amazon Hearth TV (Hearth OS 5 or later)
• Android (5.1 or later)
• Android TV (with TV OS 5.1 or later)
• Apple TV 4K or HD (with tvOS 14 or later)
• Airplay
• Chromecast
• Chrome/Firefox/Microsoft Edge (newest variations) and Safari (model 13 or later)
• Cox Contour 2 and Contour Stream Participant
• HDMI cable
• iOS (14 or later)
• LG Sensible TV (webOS 3.5 or later)
• PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
• Roku (OS 11.0 and later)
• Samsung good TVs (2016 fashions or later)
• VIZIO Sensible TV (2016 fashions or later)
• Xbox One and Xbox Collection S/X
• XClass TV
• Xfinity X1 and Flex

Max app: what options can be found?