Paramount+ and HBO Max to Merge Under Skydance Deal

Paramount+ and HBO Max will be combined into one streaming service. That is among the many changes in the entertainment landscape that will occur if regulators approve Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

That news comes directly from Paramount CEO David Ellison on a conference call on Monday, March 2, 2026. While no new name or price point for the combined service was detailed, Ellison said he believes HBO should remain largely unchanged as a brand, as it is a leader in the space.

“We do plan for that to be able to operate with independence, so that HBO can, candidly, do what it does incredibly well. Our viewpoint is HBO should stay HBO. They built a phenomenal brand. They are a leader in the space, and we just want them to continue doing more of it,” he said (h/t: CNBC).

Also, in his first remarks regarding the potential acquisition, Ellison committed to a 45-day theatrical window for movies before sending them to on-demand services, saying, “We really believe that movies should be seen in theaters,” he said (h/t: The Hollywood Reporter)

As for television, Ellision discussed the importance of “piercing the zeitgeist” and being driven by heavy engagement. He also reassured that they have no intention of scaling back production and noted that they have no plan to sell any assets they are gaining in the merger, such as TNT or CNN. Paramount is confident in the assets they are purchasing.

News of the merger came together on February 26. Netflix backed out of its agreement to purchase Warner Bros after Paramount’s final offer was deemed superior. Learn more about that at this link.

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