David Ellison has a message for the industry: the newly merged Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery company is keeping both HBO Max and Paramount+ alive. The Paramount CEO announced the new company’s name, Skydance, in a video posted earlier today, and the slide at the end made the decision explicit.
The Slide That Said It
The video, available on Deadline, ended with a slide showing the key brands of the merged company. Among them were the logos of Paramount, Warner Bros., DC, CBS, CNN, Nickelodeon, HBO Max and Paramount+. Since Paramount itself is already represented, including Paramount+ felt deliberate. So did the choice of HBO Max over the legacy HBO brand.
Bloys’s Hint
Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max Content, has already hinted that a bundle may be the way forward. Asked yesterday whether the two platforms would be bundled or fully integrated, he pointed to the existing HBO Max-Disney bundle.
“I don’t want to comment on what is going to happen or anything like that, but I would point to the HBO Max-Disney bundle, which has been very successful,” he said. He added, “So, could you see something like that happening? That would make a lot of sense.”
What the Slide Suggests
Both streaming brands appearing on Skydance’s MVP list supports the idea of a bundle. The list positions those brands as the company’s most valuable assets, and showing both names together suggests the company sees value in keeping them distinct.
The Question That Remains
Bloys stopped short of committing to a bundle. His words hinted at the direction but did not confirm it. The video’s slide adds weight to the idea, but it is not a promise.
What We Know So Far
- The new company will be called Skydance starting Oct. 6, when the WBD acquisition closes
- The slide shows both HBO Max and Paramount+ among the company’s most valuable brands
- Bloys pointed to the HBO Max-Disney bundle as evidence a bundle could work
- Paramount has not officially confirmed how it will combine the two platforms
The Oversight Role
Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max Content, is expected to oversee the streaming operation. The slide’s inclusion of both brands suggests the company values each platform enough to keep them separate.
What Comes Next
The merger closes on Oct. 6, and the streaming operation is expected to be overseen by Casey Bloys. The question of whether HBO Max and Paramount+ stay separate or merge remains open.
The Verdict
Bloys’s own words hint at a bundle but stop short of committing to one. The slide supports the idea, but the company has not confirmed it. For now, the best bet is that both brands survive — and that the two platforms stay separate, at least until the dust settles on Oct. 6.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Today | Ellison announces new name via video |
| Oct. 6 | WBD acquisition closes; company becomes Skydance |
Key facts box:
– New company name: Skydance
– Acquisition close date: Oct. 6
– Expected oversight: Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max Content
– Noted brands: Paramount, Warner Bros., DC, CBS, CNN, Nickelodeon, HBO Max, Paramount+
The video is available on Deadline. The slide says it, and Bloys has hinted at it — but the final call has not come.
Source material: “Post-Merger Skydance Keeping Both HBO Max & Paramount+ Streaming Brands,” Deadline.
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