HBO Max Will Mash Up With Discovery Plus in the Middle of Next Year

Latin America will get the mashed-up version of the services later in 2023.

The company didn’t specify any pricing changes as the two services meld.

Discovery added that it’s exploring the possibility of launching a free, ad-supported streaming offering of some kind.

The plan to combine HBO Max and Discovery Plus is a “main priority,” Warner Bros.

Discovery CEO David Zaslav said Thursday, in a discussion of the company’s streaming strategy.

Discovery said it anticipates adding more than 40 million more members by 2025.

By comparison, Netflix, the world’s biggest subscription streaming service, has nearly 221 million.

In April,DiscoveryandWarnerMediaclosed their$43 billion megamergerto form thecombined Warner Bros. HBO Max is known for prestige originals and a deep library of top movies.

But the companies' combination clouded the future shape of both HBO Max and Discovery Plus.

The latest news comes after reports of an escalating number of scuttled shows, movies and other projects.

Earlier this year, Warner Bros.

Collectively, those decisions and others have underscored an era of belt tightening under Zaslav.