AT&T company officials appeared very happy with the momentum behind the release of HBO Max in its first international markets during the second quarter, based on their initial reception, according to statements during their 2Q earnings call Thursday morning.
During the earnings call, company officials revealed that internationally, HBO and HBO Max subscribers grew from 19.3 million to 20.5 million over the last year to a total of 67.5 million worldwide.
“We’re seeing good momentum, especially in our Latin American markets,” said CFO Pascal Desroches. “To lean into HBO Max fast start in Latin America, we may push back our launch in some European markets until early 2022.”
HBO Max launched in late June in 39 nations in Latin America and the Caribbean. New subscribers gained access to all the movies and television shows available to North American audiences, all in addition to region-exclusive content including “Pop Divas”, “The Cut”, “Las Bravas”, and more.
Latin American viewers also got access to the customization and parental control features that were added to the North American platform from Day One.
Max
Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library, along with 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. Thanks to the B/R Sports add-on, users can watch NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.
“Our launch in Latin America and the Caribbean is the first step in our global rollout of HBO Max,” said Johannes Larcher, head of HBO Max International in a release shortly before the June 29 launch. “We are thrilled that fans across the region will soon be able to enjoy HBO Max and its amazing collection of content. WarnerMedia is one of the most popular and trusted sources of entertainment across Latin America, and we are very excited that our global journey starts here.”
HBO Max offers two subscription plans for these regions, starting from about US$3 per month, though they differ somewhat by nation.
Early plans included a launch in Europe by late 2021 for HBO Max, but based on Desroches’ comments, the slight delay may be in place in order to bolster subscriptions in Latin America. More details regarding the European launch of HBO Max will be forthcoming in the next few months.