DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn and members of the *Peacemaker* production team reportedly discovered the return of the HBO Max branding while filming promotional content for Season 2—and their genuine, on-set reactions are both amusing and revealing.
The news came as a surprise when Warner Bros. Discovery announced it would be reverting its streaming service's name from Max back to HBO Max this summer. While the decision may seem puzzling to many, it turns out even some of the top executives and talent at DC were momentarily caught off guard by the change.
Shortly after the announcement, the official X account for Max shared behind-the-scenes footage of Gunn and *Peacemaker* star John Cena. The two were in the middle of recording promotional spots encouraging fans to watch Season 2, set to premiere August 21.
As Gunn delivers his lines, he suddenly pauses upon reading "HBO Max" instead of "Max" from the teleprompter. After being informed that the change was legitimate and part of an upcoming public announcement, Gunn responded with a mix of surprise and approval.
That's good actually. pic.twitter.com/b3WNWOsyT2
— Max (@StreamOnMax) May 14, 2025
“God, we’re calling it HBO Max – what?” Gunn joked. “We’re calling it HBO Max again?”
At this point, other crew members—including DC Studios Co-CEO Peter Safran—can be heard reacting audibly, adding to the lighthearted confusion. Despite the initial shock, Gunn expressed support for the rebrand: “That’s good, actually, but I didn’t know that was happening.”
Cena, however, appeared already in the know. In contrast to Gunn’s reaction, Cena is seen delivering the news directly to the camera crew during his own promotional shoot, making him the one breaking the story rather than learning it live.
Whether or not these moments were staged for marketing purposes remains unclear. Regardless, the candid clips provide a rare and entertaining glimpse into how major studio decisions ripple through even the highest levels of production.
POV: finding out about the rebrand from @JohnCena pic.twitter.com/eyQxhTcJrs
— Max (@StreamOnMax) May 14, 2025
The original HBO Max launched in 2020 as a comprehensive streaming platform. The brand remained intact until 2023, when Warner Bros. Discovery—fresh from its corporate merger—announced the shift to simply “Max.” Now, following two years of audience adaptation, the company has decided that “HBO Max” might have been the better choice all along.
No exact date has been revealed for when the new-old branding will officially roll out. Until then, fans can look forward to *Peacemaker* Season 2 and stay updated on the latest developments across [ttpp]’s slate of upcoming DC projects scheduled for 2025. You can also revisit our key takeaways from the latest trailer for *Peacemaker* Season 2.
