Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery have announced that their combined company is expected to be called Skydance Corporation, but that does not mean HBO Max and Paramount+ are becoming one streaming service. As of October 2, 2026, the merger was still pending, with closing expected October 6 subject to customary conditions. The announcements reviewed do not specify whether the two apps, subscriptions, or libraries will be combined.
Are HBO Max and Paramount+ merging?
No streaming-service merger has been announced in the cited company materials. The announcement concerns the corporate identity of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), not a confirmed plan to combine their consumer services. WBD’s portfolio includes HBO Max, while Paramount’s includes Paramount+. Common ownership after the deal closes would not by itself establish a shared app, bundle, price, catalog, or migration schedule.
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What does the Skydance name refer to?
David Ellison announced on October 2 that the combined Paramount-WBD company would be named Skydance. In a same-day Form 8-K, Paramount said it intended to amend its legal name to Skydance Corporation, with the change expected to take effect October 6. The filing also said the company expected its Class B stock ticker to change from PSKY to SKYD when its listing moved from Nasdaq to the New York Stock Exchange on or about October 6. Those were stated intentions and expected dates, not confirmation that the changes had already taken effect.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Ellison described the name as giving the combined company an identity of its own while allowing Paramount, Warner Bros., and other brands to remain visible, according to Axios. He also said, “These brands are more than a destination. They are the launch pad.” That language describes the announcement’s brand strategy; it does not set out the future of either streaming service.
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When is the merger expected to close?
Paramount and WBD said on September 30 that they expected the merger to close October 6, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions. The deal was therefore still pending as of October 2. A planned name change and a scheduled closing date are not evidence that the transaction has already taken effect.
The agreement, entered into by Paramount Skydance Corporation, WBD, and merger subsidiary Prince Sub on February 27, 2026, provides for Prince Sub to merge into WBD. WBD would survive as a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount Skydance at the effective time. That structure describes the companies’ ownership relationship; it does not mean that every brand, product, or service will be merged.
What has been confirmed about streaming, prices, and libraries?
The reviewed announcements do not say whether HBO Max and Paramount+ will remain separate, share an app, be bundled, change names or prices, or combine their catalogs. They also provide no subscriber-migration details or launch timetable. Until the companies announce service-level changes, viewers should not treat the Skydance corporate name as confirmation of any particular change to their subscriptions.
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On June 12, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division said it had completed its review and concluded that the proposed merger was not likely to harm competition in streaming video on demand, linear television, or the development, production, or distribution of theatrical films. That was DOJ’s conclusion about competition; it was not a prediction that streaming prices or catalogs would remain unchanged.
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- Interstellar [Blu-ray]
On September 30, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California entered a consent decree agreed with 12 plaintiff states, resolving their Clayton Act lawsuit and modifying the no-close order to permit the transaction to close. The decree imposes specific commitments on the combined company. These are legal settlement terms, not announcements about HBO Max or Paramount+.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What obligations does the consent decree impose?
For five years after closing, the decree sets theatrical-release, production-spending, and cable-negotiation requirements. Paramount’s October 2, 2026 Form 8-K describes the commitments as follows:
| Commitment | Requirement |
|---|---|
| U.S. theatrical releases | At least 30 films in each of the first two commitment years, followed by at least 32 films in each of the next three years. |
| Wide theatrical releases | At least 20 films in each of the first two commitment years, followed by at least 21 films in each of the next three years. |
| Independent films | At least four releases each commitment year. |
| U.S. production spending | At least $300 million more annually, or $1.5 billion more over the five-year period, compared with the companies’ combined 2025 level. |
| Theatrical windows | The decree specifies theatrical-window provisions and penalties for shortfalls. |
| Basic-cable affiliation agreements | The parties must negotiate their basic-cable affiliation agreements separately. |
In their February merger announcement, the companies also described a strategy to expand their direct-to-consumer business and a commitment to at least 30 theatrical films annually. That was company-stated strategy; the later consent decree sets enforceable, year-by-year minimums for theatrical releases and other obligations.
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