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Paramount Skydance is preparing to merge with Warner Bros. Discovery, placing CEO David Ellison in control of major entertainment brands including HBO, HBO Max and Paramount+. Both companies have undergone repeated name and platform changes in recent years, from Warner Media to WBD and from Paramount+ rebrands, reflecting ongoing restructuring across the industry.
Disney Plus revised its subscriber agreement in Europe, sparking confusion that ads would now appear across all its plans globally. In reality, ad-free Standard and Premium subscribers in Europe and the US see no change to their viewing experience under the updated terms.
The animated series 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe' has included a cameo appearance from a well-known DC hero, beating DC's own film slate to the punch. The crossover was reportedly made possible through connections tied to the upcoming HBO series 'Lanterns'.
Roku introduced more than 30 channel bundles combining services like Starz, HBO Max, AMC Plus and its own Howdy platform, offering discounts of up to 33% off monthly rates compared to subscribing separately. The bundles are permanent offerings, not limited-time promotions, and are purchasable through Roku devices, the mobile app or the Roku Channel website.
Roku introduced more than 30 subscription bundles that combine services like HBO Max, Starz, Hallmark+, and Fox One, offering savings of up to 30% off individual prices. The company also launched a Labs section where users can test in-development apps and features and provide feedback, alongside upgrades to Roku Voice and search.
HBO Max released a mid-season trailer for DC Studios' 'Lanterns' show, previewing its final three episodes set to air in 2026. The footage shows John Stewart turning to fellow Green Lanterns Sinestro and Guy Gardner for guidance as the season's murder mystery plot advances.
At a Los Angeles event, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel introduced new capabilities for the company's Specs smart glasses, including streaming integration with HBO Max and Spotify and a new AI system called Specs Intelligence. The AI system is designed to connect with other devices like iPhones and Macs, learning users' habits and priorities to help them manage ongoing projects and daily routines.
Security researchers say attackers compromised HBO Max's official Reddit account and used it to post hundreds of fake ads linking to a lookalike site that runs a ClickFix scam. The scheme tricks visitors into copying and pasting a malicious command into their Terminal or Command Prompt, which silently installs info-stealing malware. Warner Bros. Discovery has not responded to requests for comment, and it's unclear how many users were affected.
Attackers took over HBO Max's official, verified Reddit account and used it to post 108 malicious ads over roughly two days, tricking Windows and macOS users into installing information-stealing malware. The ads used the ClickFix technique, luring victims into pasting attacker-supplied commands into Run, PowerShell, or Terminal under the guise of fixing errors or verifying CAPTCHAs, with some posts impersonating a fake HBO Max app and others posing as AI tools or developer utilities.
Subscribing to eight leading ad-free streaming services now costs about $151 monthly, up from roughly $90 four years ago, according to new pricing data. Apple TV+ has raised prices 200% since its 2019 launch, while Netflix's Premium tier is up 125% since 2013, and price hikes accelerated further with an 11.8% jump over the past year alone.
An independent pricing tracker compiled monthly rates for nine flagship streaming tiers—Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Apple TV+, Paramount+, Peacock, YouTube Premium and Spotify—comparing March 2021 to today. The combined monthly cost for the same services rose from $95.91 to $154.41, a 61% jump equal to $702 more annually, without any downgrades or cancellations factored in.
Stephanie Yuhas, an award-winning TV and film writer and producer, launched a pet-sitting side business called The Funny Sitter after industry disruptions from the pandemic, writers' strikes, and a personal divorce upended her entertainment career. The business grew through word-of-mouth referrals, and she eventually hired trusted staff to help expand operations. It now brings in about $5,000 monthly on average, with earnings surging to roughly $15,000 during the holiday season.