Welcome home, prodigal son of David Zaslav. Early on the morning of July 9, 2025, Max streaming service users noticed a branding update, with the iconic HBO prefix making a triumphant return to the app’s logo — just as promised.
The timing isn’t coincidental: with Emmy Award nominees set to be announced on July 15, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) projects are being rebranded with this nostalgic touch ahead of the prestigious event.
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This may be the most awkward comeback in the history of online streaming platforms. Yet, it could also be a lifeline for a struggling business that dug its own grave with confusing and, at times, outright misguided decisions.
The initial decision to ditch the HBO label was driven by a desire to broaden the service’s audience and shed associations with “adult content” that might deter family viewers. The result? They alienated nearly everyone. Now, WBD seems poised to reverse course, acting as if the misstep never happened, in a bid to reclaim its lost ground.
