Max Will Add Specific Writer and Director Credits Back in Following Backlash

When streaming service Max dropped the “HBO” from its name, it also dropped specific credits for directors, writers, and producers. Now, the service is vowing to restore the credits to how they appeared on HBO Max.

The backlash started when people noticed that Max condensed credits for directors, writers, producers, and other roles into a generic “creators” category within content hosted on Max. A popular Twitter thread showed screenshots of examples from movies like Raging Bull, Catch Me If You Can, and Silence of the Lambs.

The new HBO Max (MAX) has eliminated writer/director credits in their interface in favor of a vague “Creators.” This is what Raging Bull currently looks like. It’s so fucking over. pic.twitter.com/gPveQ469GB

— John Frankensteiner (@JFrankensteiner) May 24, 2023

Warner Bros. Discovery has already responded to the outrage, telling Variety it will revert the credit listings back to when directors and writers were listed under their respective roles.

“We agree that the talent behind the content on Max deserve their work to be properly recognized,” a Max spokesperson’s statement reads. “We will correct the credits, which were altered due to an oversight in the technical transition from HBO Max to Max and we apologize for this mistake.”

The Directors Guild of America and Writers Guild of America, West released a joint statement on the matter prior to Max’s promise to restore the original credits. DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter said in part, “This devaluation of the individual contributions of artists is a disturbing trend and the DGA will not stand for it,” while WGAW President Meredith Stiehm said, “This tone-deaf disregard for writers’ importance is what brought us to where we are today — Day 22 of our strike.”

“the DGA will not stand for it”
Massive joint statement from WGA and DGA over Max new credits pic.twitter.com/ocOk6yLUQJ

— Anousha (@anoushasakoui) May 24, 2023

HBO Max turned into Max yesterday, bringing a few technical issues along with it. The streaming service is home to HBO Originals, DC, and Discovery brands like HGTV and Food Network.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over seven years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.