HBO Max is officially back after Warner Bros. Discovery’s Madison Square Garden reveal, reversing the 2023 rebrand to Max. In a bewildering pivot, CEO David Zaslav cited 5.3 million new subscribers and a drive for 'better content,' leaving branding experts and media buyers in a fit of applause, laughter, and at least one whistle.

Streaming industry watchers now get to witness a rare naming boomerang, with executives joking about stationary hoards and 'worth paying for' programming. As the streaming service shuffle outpaces even Friends reruns, the phrase 'streaming service rebrand' becomes literal—expect more surreal pivots and perhaps a commemorative Ross meme next quarter.