Warner Bros. Discovery is making some serious headway in the streaming wars. As of the end of March 2025, the company reported adding 5.3 million paid subscribers to its Max and Discovery+ services in the first quarter. This bump puts their combined total at a significant 122.3 million subscribers, a healthy jump of 22.6 million compared to the same time last year.
WBD isn’t stopping there, though. They’ve set a goal to reach more than 150 million streaming subscribers worldwide by the close of 2026. CEO David Zaslav credits a sharper focus on what makes Max unique for viewers as a key driver for this growth, resulting in what he calls a better user experience.
A big win for Max, and seemingly a major factor in the subscriber increase, is the success of the original medical drama “The Pitt,” starring Noah Wyle. The first season saw strong numbers, averaging 12 million viewers per episode. It’s no surprise then that WBD has already ordered a second season, set to arrive in January 2026.
The streaming segment of WBD’s business is showing good signs beyond just subscriber counts. Revenue went up 8% to $2.65 billion compared to last year’s $2.46 billion. Adjusted pre-tax earnings for the streaming side saw an even bigger leap, climbing to $339 million from $86 million in the year-ago period. Zaslav points to the overall quality of programming on Max, stating that HBO, in particular, “has never been stronger.” As a nod to that legacy, WBD even changed the color of the Max logo back to a black-and-white look reminiscent of the classic HBO branding. The company announced these streaming subscriber figures on Wednesday, May 8.
