HBO Max says newly announced UK rollout will help Netflix
HBO Max says newly announced UK rollout will help Netflix
The HBO streaming service had been launching in other European markets, and WBD execs say building its brand will only be a positive for Netflix as it prepares to acquire HBO Max.
HBO Max is finally heading across the pond. The streaming service has been rolling out all over Europe in recent months, and now it’s preparing to launch in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Not only is this part of the brand’s expansion plans, but parent company Warner Bros. Discovery also sees it as an important step as the company continues to inch closer to a potential merger with Netflix.
Key Details:
- Rule Britannia: HBO Max is launching in the U.K. and Ireland on March 26.
- Phased rollout: WBD has been launching HBO Max in European territories since 2024.
- Help, not hurt: WBD’s global streaming head says the move will aid, not hinder any future relationship with Netflix.
HBO Max will officially launch in the U.K. and Ireland on March 26. Viewers will be able to stream the HBO Max library, including originals like “The Pitt,” the next season of “Euphoria,” the new “Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” and much more with a subscription to the service.
TNT Sports content will be available to stream on HBO Max on the same date. The price of TNT Sports will remain unchanged at £30.99 per month, and audiences can continue to purchase it on a standalone basis or buy it alongside select HBO Max plans if they prefer.
WBD also revealed that viewers in the U.K. and Ireland would have four plans available, starting at £4.99 per month for the Basic with Ads plan. Audiences will have to upgrade to the Standard with Ads plan at £5.99 to watch the entire HBO Max entertainment library, including recently-released movies. Ad-free plans start at £9.99 per month, and viewers will be able to purchase subscriptions directly or through third-party platforms Prime Video or Sky.
The European rollout of HBO Max has been deliberate, but the streamer is now available in a large number of territories across the continent. WBD first began launching the service in Europe in 2024, a move The Streamable interpreted at the time as a possible move to attract buyers. That prediction proved at least partially correct, as WBD is now preparing to be acquired by Netflix.
As WBD plots the next steps forward in its mega-merger with the world's largest streamer, it’s being mindful not to make any moves that would conflict with Netflix’s broader global strategies. WBD’s top global streaming executive, J.B. Perrette, called HBO Max’s U.K. launch “helpful to Netflix strategies” on Monday.
“I can’t speak for Netflix but the one thing that’s very clear in the public statements you’ve heard from Ted [Sarandos] and Greg [Peters] is they have an enormous amount of appreciation, respect and value for the HBO brand,” Perrette said. “They value the brand as we’re defining it, which is something that is distinct, premium and different to mass volume.”
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Within HBO Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch live NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.