Welcome to a World Without Endings

Late last month, during yet another inexplicable rebranding exercise, HBO's Max streaming service changed the way it organizes film credits. Rather than separate out discrete production categories for users to peruse, Max's credits lumped writers and directors together under an ominous header, dubbing them "creators." The recategorization enraged writers, filmmakers, and the Directors Guild of America. Within a few hours, Max's parent company, Warner Bros., apologized for the move, calling it "an oversight in the technical transition from HBO Max to Max." The change--made by a company with a market cap that is approaching $30 billion during a contentious writers' strike--felt petty and vindictive to Hollywood professionals.