Gunn, Cena Surprised by HBO Max Rebrand

The world of streaming services took an unexpected turn when Warner Bros. Discovery announced the reversion of its streaming platform back to the original HBO Max name. This decision came as a shock to many, including the crew of DC Studios' hit series Peacemaker. While filming promotional content for Season 2, co-CEO James Gunn and star John Cena were caught on camera reacting to the news, and their responses have become a viral sensation.

The announcement, which was made public earlier today, revealed that the apps will ditch the Max name and return to the HBO Max banner this summer. This sudden shift left many, including some of the biggest names at DC, puzzled. The official X account of the soon-to-be-renamed Max shared the recorded reactions of Gunn and Cena shortly after the news broke. The duo was in the midst of promoting Peacemaker Season 2, set to debut on August 21, when the unexpected script change caught Gunn off guard.

As Gunn read from the teleprompter, he was visibly surprised to see the script mentioning HBO Max instead of MAX. He was quickly informed that this was not a mistake and that the change would be officially announced at the Upfront. Gunn's humorous reaction was captured on video, with him exclaiming, "God, we’re calling it HBO Max – what? We’re calling it HBO Max again?" Other crew members, including DC Studios Co-CEO Peter Safran, also chimed in, adding to the confusion and amusement of the moment. Gunn, however, expressed his approval of the change, saying, "That’s good, actually, but I didn’t know that was happening."

In contrast, John Cena appeared to be well-informed about the rebrand. Instead of being surprised, he was seen breaking the news to some of the people behind the camera, adding another layer of humor to the situation. Whether this is an elaborate publicity stunt by the HBO Max team or a genuine moment of surprise, the reactions from the DC Studios crew have provided a lighthearted take on the streaming service's latest rebranding effort.

HBO Max initially launched in 2020, offering a wide array of content for streaming enthusiasts. The name remained unchanged until 2023, when Warner Bros. Discovery, following its merger, decided to drop the HBO part and rebrand as Max. Now, after two years of subscribers adjusting to the new name, the company has decided that HBO Max is the better choice after all.

While a specific date for the rebrand hasn't been announced, fans can look forward to updates on both HBO Max and Peacemaker Season 2. In the meantime, you can explore the most notable DC projects scheduled for 2025 and delve into our key takeaways from the latest Peacemaker Season 2 trailer.