HBO Max and Paramount+ could merge under Skydance: one service after the October 2026 close

Skydance says it expects to complete its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery around October 6, 2026. That’s also when Paramount+ and HBO Max, which is sold as Max in many markets, are expected to be folded into a single streaming service, with the combined company operating under the Skydance name. For subscribers, that’s the biggest shift: Paramount+ and HBO Max are expected to become one platform. Skydance still hasn’t said what the service will be called, what it will cost, or when it will launch, and HBO could still stick around as a sub-brand.

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David Ellison says the service would start with about 200 million subscribers, and analysts think that figure could rise above 240 million by 2030. Coming after Skydance’s $8 billion Paramount merger in August 2025, the larger deal, valued at roughly $110 billion to $111 billion, would also bring Paramount together with Warner Bros., HBO, CBS, CNN, MTV, and an enormous film and TV library.

If you subscribe to both services, this is something to watch as the deal works its way through the remaining approvals. It still needs clearance in nearly 70 countries, an EU sign-off tied to a United International Pictures (UIP) divestment, and a settlement with 12 US state attorneys general. Supporters say the merger gives the company a better shot at competing with the tech giants. Critics are warning about layoffs, fewer greenlights, tighter theatrical windows, and greater influence over CNN and CBS News. You probably won’t get the final streaming details until Skydance takes control next October.

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