The acquisition is complete, but HBO Max and Paramount+ subscribers have not been given a launch date, new price, or account-migration plan for a combined service. Skydance announced on October 6, 2026, that it had completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The company says it plans to bring its streaming products together into one service over time; the details that would affect your subscription remain unknown.
Are HBO Max and Paramount+ merging?
They are now part of the same company, but the services have not been announced as a single, launched app. Skydance said it intends to unify its streaming products “into a single service over time.” That wording signals a direction, not a launch date or a description of how the change will work. The completion announcement says the transaction’s required regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions were met. Skydance’s October 6 announcement lists Warner Bros., HBO, HBO Max, Paramount, Paramount+, and other media assets among those in the combined company.
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Associated Press reporting on October 7 said the future service’s name and the effects on consumer costs and choices were still unknown. David Ellison, Skydance’s CEO, had said, “Our viewpoint is, HBO should stay HBO.” That is a stated preference about the HBO brand, not a guarantee that HBO Max will remain a separate app or subscription. AP’s report also describes the plan to bring the platforms together over time.
What does the merger mean for your current subscription?
For now, the available information does not establish whether either app will change, whether subscribers will need to take action, or how existing subscriptions will be handled. The reviewed announcement and reporting do not specify an account-migration process, the treatment of subscriptions billed through third parties, or whether both apps will remain available during a transition.
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There is also no confirmed schedule for moving titles between catalogs or a complete list of what a future combined service would include. Having the companies’ libraries under one corporate owner does not, by itself, establish when or where a particular show or film will stream.
Will you have to pay more—or save money?
No combined-service price, bundle discount, or subscription tier has been announced in the reviewed reporting. AP reported these existing U.S. monthly prices on October 7, 2026; they are not prices for a future combined plan:
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| Service and plan | Reported U.S. monthly price | Ads |
|---|---|---|
| HBO Max basic plan | $10.99 per month, as reported by AP on October 7, 2026 | With ads |
| Paramount+ Essential | $8.99 per month, as reported by AP on October 7, 2026 | With ads |
AP reported that ad-free plans cost more, but the cited report did not give their prices. These are reported current plan prices, not a forecast of what a combined service would charge; prices can change. See AP’s report on the existing plan prices.
Skydance said the combined company has more than 200 million streaming subscribers across platforms. That is the company’s aggregate figure, not a count of unique people, and it does not mean subscribers have automatically joined a future service. AP also reported a JustWatch estimate that HBO Max and Paramount+ together represented roughly 14% of the U.S. streaming market. That estimate is not a regulatory market definition or a prediction of future prices or subscriber numbers. Skydance’s announcement and AP’s report citing JustWatch provide those figures.
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What regulatory decisions preceded the closing?
On June 12, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division said it had completed its investigation and determined the proposed merger was not likely to harm competition or American consumers, including in streaming video on demand. That was the agency’s assessment of the deal based on its investigation; it does not guarantee particular prices, service features, or outcomes for subscribers. Read the DOJ Antitrust Division’s statement.
On July 24, 2026, the New York Attorney General’s office described an agreement to delay the merger until a court ruling on the states’ lawsuit or June 1, 2027, whichever came first. That statement described the litigation posture at that time. Skydance subsequently announced that the deal closed on October 6 after required approvals and customary closing conditions were met. The New York Attorney General’s July statement is dated context, not the current closing status.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
