As Elmo leaves the HBO family, so does HBO Family. The spinoff channel, which launched in December 1996 as a more kid- and family-friendly version of HBO, will shut down on August 15. It’s part of a larger strategy by Warner Bros. Discovery to pare down its large collection of “multiplex channels” — those additional linear channels that are usually included in the price of an HBO or Cinemax subscription.
Besides cutting HBO Family, WBD also plans to cease operations on the Cinemax multiplex channels ThrillerMax, MovieMax and OuterMax. Details of the pare down was first reported this week by Cord Cutters News, which became aware when Spectrum alerted its customers that “effective on or after August 15, 2025, HBO Family, ThrillerMax, MovieMax, & OuterMax will cease programming and will no longer be available.” Variety has since confirmed the news.
Linear premium channels have been hit with major viewership declines as audiences shift to streaming; the majority of HBO original series viewership can now be found on the soon-to-be-renamed HBO Max. And of course, the decision to cut these networks comes as Warner Bros. Discovery itself announced plans this week to cut the company in half, with linear basic cable networks moving to a new spinoff entity. (HBO isn’t part of that spinoff.)
Most multiplex channels air reruns of movies and fare from the mothership; HBO Family aired some original programming during its lifetime, however. And in recent years, as HBO removed its kids programming from its main lineup, all of the channel’s children’s programming and family specials could be found on HBO Family instead. Per its remit, HBO Family’s lineup did not include R-rated or TV-MA programming.
HBO continues to offer several more multiplex channels, including HBO2, HBO Signature, HBO Comedy, HBO Zone and HBO Latino.
As for the Cinemax channels that will shut down, ThrillerMax, which runs horror and thriller films, launched in 1998; MovieMax, targeted at younger viewers, first premiered in 2001 as WMax; and OuterMax, which focuses on sci-fi and fantasy, launched in 2001. Cinemax continues to program the multiplex channels MoreMax, ActionMax, 5 Star Max and Cinemáx.
The Streaming Wars is intentionally ad-free
We don’t run display ads. Not because we can’t, but because we don’t believe in them.
They interrupt the reading experience. They cheapen the work. And they burn advertisers’ money on impressions nobody actually wants.
So we chose a different model.
We say the things people in this industry are already thinking but don’t say out loud. We connect the dots beyond the headline and focus on explaining why things matter to the people working in this business.
If you believe industry coverage can exist without clutter and interruption, you can support it here → SUPPORT TSW.
Support is optional. But it directly funds research and continued coverage — and helps prove this model can work.
Support TSW →
