In a surprising turn of events, DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn and the crew of "Peacemaker" were caught off guard by Warner Bros. Discovery's decision to revert the streaming service's name back to HBO Max. The announcement, which came while they were filming promotional content for Season 2, led to some priceless reactions that have since gone viral.
The news broke earlier today that HBO's parent company would be undoing its previous rebrand, moving away from the simple "Max" moniker back to the familiar HBO Max. This unexpected shift has left not only fans but also major figures at DC Studios puzzled and amused.
The official X account of the soon-to-be-renamed Max shared videos capturing the reactions of Gunn and "Peacemaker" star John Cena. In the footage, Gunn is seen reading from a teleprompter, promoting the upcoming Season 2 of "Peacemaker," set to debut on August 21. His confusion is evident when he reads "HBO Max" instead of "Max," and he's quickly informed that this is indeed the new direction, to be officially announced at the Upfront.
That's good actually. pic.twitter.com/b3WNWOsyT2
— Max (@StreamOnMax) May 14, 2025
Gunn's bemusement is clear as he quips, "God, we’re calling it HBO Max – what? We’re calling it HBO Max again?" The moment is made even more entertaining by the reactions of other crew members, including DC Studios Co-CEO Peter Safran, who join in the confusion. Despite the initial shock, Gunn expresses his approval, saying, "That’s good, actually, but I didn’t know that was happening."
John Cena, on the other hand, seems to be in the know. Instead of being surprised, he's seen in his video breaking the news to those behind the camera, adding another layer of humor to the situation.
POV: finding out about the rebrand from @JohnCena pic.twitter.com/eyQxhTcJrs
— Max (@StreamOnMax) May 14, 2025
While some might speculate that this could be a clever publicity stunt by the HBO Max team, the genuine reactions from Gunn and the crew are undeniably entertaining. HBO Max initially launched in 2020 as a comprehensive streaming platform. It retained its name until 2023 when Warner Bros. Discovery, following their merger, decided to simplify it to just "Max." Now, after two years of adjustment, the company has decided to revert to the original HBO Max name.
No specific date has been set for the rebrand's implementation. As we await further updates on both the HBO Max rebrand and "Peacemaker" Season 2, fans can explore the most anticipated DC projects slated for 2025 and delve into the key highlights from the latest "Peacemaker" Season 2 trailer.
