Gunn, Cena Surprised by HBO Max Rebrand

DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn and other members of the Peacemaker crew were caught off guard by Warner Bros. Discovery's decision to revert its streaming service back to the HBO Max name. The surprising announcement came while they were filming promotional content for the upcoming Season 2 of Peacemaker, set to premiere on August 21.

The rebranding news broke earlier today, leaving many, including some of DC's biggest names, puzzled. The official X account for the soon-to-be-renamed Max shared clips capturing the genuine reactions of Gunn and Peacemaker star John Cena. In the footage, Gunn is seen reading from a teleprompter, promoting the show, when he stumbles upon the mention of HBO Max instead of Max. His confusion is palpable as he questions the name change, only to be informed that it's a deliberate move to be announced at the Upfront.

Gunn humorously remarks, "God, we’re calling it HBO Max – what? We’re calling it HBO Max again?" His light-hearted reaction is echoed by other crew members, including DC Studios Co-CEO Peter Safran, adding to the comedic confusion. Despite the initial bewilderment, Gunn expresses his approval of the change, saying, "That’s good, actually, but I didn’t know that was happening."

In contrast, John Cena appears well-informed about the rebrand. Instead of being surprised, he's seen in the video breaking the news to others behind the camera, showcasing his awareness of the shift back to HBO Max.

While some 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. The clips shared on social media provide a humorous glimpse into the impact of the streaming service's latest rebranding effort.

HBO Max originally launched in 2020 as a comprehensive streaming platform. It retained its name until 2023, when the newly merged Warner Bros. Discovery announced a rebrand to simply Max. After two years of adjusting to the new name, the company has now decided to revert to HBO Max, recognizing its original branding as a strong asset.

Although no specific date for the rebrand has been set, fans can look forward to more updates on both HBO Max and Peacemaker Season 2. In the meantime, you can explore the most anticipated DC projects slated for 2025 and delve into the key highlights from Peacemaker Season 2's latest trailer.