Paramount CEO David Ellison Reveals Post-Merger Plans for HBO
One of the most prestigious brands in all of television is set to undergo a makeover.
On Monday, Paramount CEO David Ellison announced that Paramount+ and HBO Max would combine into a single streaming service. The news follows the multi-billion dollar acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance.
A name and pricing structure has yet to be determined for the new combined streaming service, but Ellison emphasized the importance of retaining and promoting the HBO brand.
“HBO should stay HBO,” Ellison said on Monday during a call with industry analysts. He cited the work of current HBO content chairman Casey Bloys, who has helped the network retain its prestige as customers continue to shift away from cable and into streaming.
Paramount Acknowledges HBO's Prestige
“Casey and his team are doing an absolutely remarkable job at HBO and we do plan for that to be able to operate with independence, so that HBO can candidly do what it does incredibly well."
Ellison said that HBO was a "leader" in the entertainment space, and that Paramount's acquisition ensures that "all of our content will be able to reach even a broader audience.”
“The combination of these two companies really puts us into position to be able to compete with all the leading players in the space,” Ellison added, noting the several popular franchises and series that the company now owns the rights to.
"Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, the DC Universe, Game of Thrones, Mission Impossible, Top Gun, Transformers, SpongeBob and Star Trek," Ellison said, emphasizing that the combined platforms have a reach of 200 million subscribers.
Absolute power is within grasp. #HOTD Season 3 returns this June on HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/sDlTpzC7T7
— HBO Max (@hbomax) February 19, 2026
TNT Sports will also merge with CBS Sports in some capacity, adding MLB, NHL, NASCAR, tennis' French Open and major college football to CBS' best-in-class coverage of the NFL and Paramount's recent acquisition of the UFC. The merger also opens the door for major events - like UFC's numbered cards - to be broadcast on a variety of television networks.
Witness the rematch, ten years in the making! #UFC326 streaming live this Saturday 9pm ET on Paramount+ #UFConParamount pic.twitter.com/mZazDDYuIW
— Paramount+ (@paramountplus) March 2, 2026
HBO's History As a Streaming Service
The merger marks another important chapter in HBO's continued pivot from traditional cable. The company first entered the streaming era in 2010 with HBO Go, allowing cable subscribers to access content on demand.
HBO Max debuted ten years later, giving subscribers the opportunity to view HBO content without the need for a traditional subscription. The service's name would be changed to Max in 2023, as WBD CEO David Zaslav sought to combine HBO's offerings with content from Discovery, TLC and HGTV.
This decision was reversed last year, as Zaslav and Bloys noted the importance and legacy of the HBO brand.
“The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming,” Zaslav said in a statement last May. “Today, we are bringing back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in media, to further accelerate that growth in the years ahead.”
As Paramount and HBO prepare to enter the streaming battle together, we'll see which side of the platform takes priority over the other in terms of naming, branding and the sort of content offered to subscribers.