James Gunn, John 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 the streaming service's name back to HBO Max, as they were filming promotional material for Season 2. The announcement, which came earlier today, has left not only fans but also major figures at DC Studios puzzled.

The soon-to-be-renamed Max's official X account shared videos capturing the reactions of Gunn and Peacemaker star John Cena following the announcement. In the footage, Gunn is seen reading from a teleprompter about where to watch Peacemaker Season 2, set to debut on August 21. His confusion is evident when he reads "HBO Max" instead of "MAX," prompting him to question the change. Gunn humorously remarked, "God, we’re calling it HBO Max – what? We’re calling it HBO Max again?" Other crew members, including DC Studios Co-CEO Peter Safran, also chimed in, adding to the amusing chaos.

Gunn expressed his approval of the change, stating, "That’s good, actually, but I didn’t know that was happening." Meanwhile, Cena seemed more in the know, as he was seen breaking the news to some of the crew behind the camera.

While this could be a clever publicity stunt by the HBO Max team, the genuine reactions from Gunn and the crew provided a humorous glimpse into their surprise at the rebranding.

HBO Max originally launched in 2020, offering a wide range of content until Warner Bros. Discovery, following their merger in 2023, decided to rebrand it simply as Max. Now, after two years, the company has chosen to revert to the HBO Max name, which subscribers had grown accustomed to.

No specific date for the rebranding has been set. As we await further updates on both the rebrand and Peacemaker Season 2, fans can explore other notable DC projects slated for 2025 and delve into the latest trailer highlights for Peacemaker Season 2.