Sam Haysom serves as the Deputy UK Editor at Mashable, where he focuses on entertainment and digital culture, while also penning horror stories during his free time.
Can HBO truly function with autonomy as Paramount’s CEO David Ellison claims?
HBO Max and Paramount+ Merge
HBO Max and Paramount+ are merging into a single streaming platform, but specifics on how this will function remain somewhat unclear.
During an investor call on Monday, Paramount CEO David Ellison discussed his strategies for the platforms, revealing that his company successfully thwarted Netflix’s attempt to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.
"In the coming years, we will merge the streaming services of both companies into a more robust platform," Ellison stated. "Currently, there are over 200 million DTC [direct to consumer] subscribers across both platforms and more than 100 countries and regions globally, which positions us to effectively compete with the top streaming services in today's market."
David Ellison’s Vision for Streaming
The $111 billion agreement will result in Paramount acquiring full ownership of WBD, valuing the firm at $31 per share. This arrangement has been "unanimously approved" by the boards of both companies, but it still requires approval from regulators in the U.S. and Europe. It’s important to mention that Paramount anticipates the merger to "close in Q3 2026", indicating that it may take some time before it is finalized.
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"By the middle of this year at Paramount," Ellison remarked later during the call, "we will have finalized the integration of our three services into a single cohesive stack, and you can expect us to adopt a similar strategy for this platform moving forward. We believe that the combined offering, along with the extensive content and our technological capabilities, will truly position us to compete with the largest players in DTC."
Impact on Warner Bros Discovery
Regarding the pricing of the new unified platform, we can only reference the existing rates. HBO Max provides three subscription options, beginning with the Basic with Ads plan priced at $10.99 monthly or $109.99 annually. In contrast, Paramount+ offers a more affordable choice with two levels: one that includes ads for $8.99 per month or $89.99 per year, and another that is ad-free for $13.99 monthly or $139.99 yearly.
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Ellison emphasized the upcoming combined catalogue of Paramount and WBD, featuring franchises such as “Harry Potter,” “Top Gun,” “Star Trek,” “Looney Tunes,” “Game of Thrones,” and “Yellowstone.” He specifically mentioned during the call that he envisions HBO functioning with a degree of autonomy.
Future of Streaming Platforms
"We believe that HBO should remain true to its identity," he stated. "They have established an incredible brand and are a frontrunner in the industry. Our goal is for them to keep expanding their efforts. However, by merging the platforms, we can ensure that all of our content reaches a much wider audience than we could achieve independently."
When questioned, Ellison mentioned that his top HBO series is Game of Thrones, which likely bodes well for House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, at the very least.
