HBO Rebranding Strategy: What You Need to Know

Starting on July 9, 2025, HBO Max is finally back to being called “HBO Max” again after a two-year stint as just “Max.” Twitter seems to be having a hard time letting go of that little blip in the name change!

Now, less than two months later, we have a fresh round of new names for six out of HBO’s seven linear TV channels. HBO2 is now known as HBO Hits, HBO Signature got a stylish upgrade to HBO Drama, and HBO Zone is now HBO Movies. MoreMAX switched it up to Cinemax Hits, ActionMAX is now Cinemax Action, and 5starMAX was renamed Cinemax Classics. Quite the lineup shuffle!

Oh, by the way, these changes also apply to HBO Max’s live in-app “Channels” feature, so subscribers can catch all the live HBO content right there in the app.

Seems like HBO is going through a rebranding phase, and while it might seem a bit funny, it’s all in the name of sprucing things up. After the formation of Warner Bros. Discovery in April 2022, HBO Max was renamed to Max to incorporate all the variety of programming beyond just HBO. But now, HBO is back as the star of the show once again, reclaiming its rightful place in the name. Just a fun fact for the streaming entertainment fans out there!