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Skydance, formed from Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, announced it will offer a combined subscription bundle for HBO Max and Paramount+ beginning in early 2027. The company did not disclose pricing or whether an ad-supported tier would be included in the package.
Skydance, the company formed from the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, told shareholders it plans to bundle Paramount Plus and HBO Max starting early 2027 as a step toward eventually merging them into one app. The announcement came in a letter ahead of its first earnings call since the merger closed in October, which also detailed a reorganization into three units: Skydance Studios, Skydance Direct-to-Consumer and Skydance TV.
HBO Max has begun streaming the live-action horror anthology Strange: Junji Ito's Tales for Sleepless Nights, which originally aired a 12-episode season on TV Tokyo. Two episodes are currently available in the US, and a third, 'Face Thief' directed by Yûta Shimotsu, premiered at New York Comic Con based on Ito's story 'The Face Burglar.'
Discovery+ has increased its monthly pricing, with the ad-supported tier rising $1 to $7 and the ad-free tier rising $2 to $12. The changes apply immediately to new subscribers, while existing members will see the new rates on their first bill on or after November 12, following a 30-day notice period.
Discovery Plus is increasing its subscription costs, with the ad-supported plan rising from $5.99 to $6.99 per month and the ad-free tier going from $9.99 to $11.99 per month. New subscribers will see the higher prices immediately, while current subscribers will be charged the new rates on or after November 12th. This marks the platform's first price hike since January 2025.
The recent merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. has been finalized, raising questions about the future of Paramount+ and HBO Max. The newly combined entity has not yet detailed its plans for these streaming platforms, but some form of unification is anticipated. The deal was completed on Tuesday, marking a significant shift in the media company's structure.
Skydance-owned Paramount has completed its $81 billion purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal valued at $111 billion including debt. The combined company now holds a broad portfolio spanning film franchises, television networks including CNN, and streaming services such as HBO Max.
Paramount Skydance has officially closed its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, beating out a rival Netflix bid, and now controls HBO, CBS, CNN, TNT Sports and franchises like Harry Potter and Star Trek. The deal, backed partly by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, pushes Skydance's debt close to $80 billion, and executives say the combined company plans to eventually merge HBO Max, Paramount+ and Discovery+ into one service.
Paramount Skydance confirmed it has completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, finalizing the $111 billion merger that followed Netflix's abandoned bid for WBD earlier this year. The newly combined company announced that its streaming properties—HBO Max, Paramount+ and Discovery+—will eventually be folded into a single unified streaming service.
Skydance confirmed completion of its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery and said its streaming services—HBO Max, Paramount+ and Discovery+—will eventually unify into a single platform. The company gave no timeline, name, or pricing details for the combined service. Skydance also recently named HBO CEO Casey Bloys as Co-Chair and Chief Content Officer of its direct-to-consumer division.
Paramount Skydance closed its $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery after the Supreme Court declined to block it, with Justice Elena Kagan rejecting a last-minute appeal. The combined company, renamed Skydance, now owns Paramount+, HBO Max, CBS, CNN, and sports networks including CBS Sports and TNT Sports. The deal faced a multistate antitrust lawsuit, which California and other states settled last month after a federal judge approved the settlement on September 30.
Skydance has finalized its acquisition of Paramount and Warner Bros., taking control of major film studios, networks, and streaming platforms. The merger creates a media giant with a portfolio including DC, Harry Potter, and Star Trek, and will trade on the NYSE under the ticker SKYD. The deal adds significant content assets but also leaves the company with $80 billion in debt.