HBO Max and Paramount+ Are Staying in Separate Rooms

HBO Max and Paramount+ are staying separate apps when Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merge under the Skydance name on October 6. James Gunn and Peter Safran are staying in charge of DC Studios.

Frank runs through what changes when the Skydance merger closes on Tuesday. The streaming apps stay apart for now, with a bundle expected before any combined service and no word on the Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max bundle. DC Studios keeps its leadership while other executives head out and layoffs are expected. He closes with the scrapped Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover and the 30-film theatrical requirement, which he doubts the company can hit.

Chapters

• 0:00 HBO Max and Paramount+ Stay Separate
• 0:14 Why the Apps Aren't Merging Yet
• 0:29 Bundles and the Disney+ Question
• 0:41 James Gunn and Peter Safran Stay at DC
• 1:02 Executive Exits and Layoffs
• 1:28 G.I. Joe Splits From Transformers
• 1:42 The 30 Movie Rule

Key Takeaways

• HBO Max and Paramount+ remain separate apps after the October 6 close. A bundle of the two is expected first, and no price has been announced.
• James Gunn and Peter Safran continue to lead DC Studios, and DC gets its own spot in the Skydance branding video next to HBO and Warner Bros.
• Paramount dropped the Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover in favor of a standalone G.I. Joe movie.
• The settlement requires at least 30 theatrical releases a year, with a $30 million penalty for each film the company falls short.

Quotes

• "HBO Max and Paramount+ are not becoming one app on Tuesday. James Gunn's not fired." - Frank

• "I currently have Disney+, Hulu and HBO, and I don't know if that bundle is going to still exist." - Frank

• "They have to put out at least 30 movies a year for theaters or be fined $30 million. Yeah, $30 million per movie." - Frank

Sources

Variety, Deadline, CNBC, TheWrap, Fortune. More geek news at GeekFreaksPodcast.com

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Questions for You

• Would you pay for an HBO Max and Paramount+ bundle, or do you want one combined app?
• Can Skydance release 30 movies a year in theaters?