Warner Bros. Discovery Announces Max’s European Launch Date; Is Company Trying to Attract Potential Buyers?
WBD’s rollout of its combined streaming platform in new territories could be a ploy to lure in merger partners.
If you live in Europe, keep an eye on your HBO Max account! Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Thursday that it would be rolling out Max in European territories starting on May 21, the first time the company’s combined streaming platform would be available on the continent. Until now, fans of WBD content in Europe had to decide if they would subscribe to HBO Max or discovery+ to enjoy the content of the two services, but soon they’ll find all the most popular titles of both on one service.
- Max will come to the Nordic territories first, then continue launching in other nations soon after.
- The new launches will mean that Max will soon be available in 65 global territories.
- Building out internationally could be a signal to potential buyers that WBD has untapped revenue opportunities, making it more attractive for acquisition.
Max first launched in the United States in May 2023. The streamer features the full HBO Max catalog, as well as a large selection of unscripted lifestyle content from discovery+, including titles from channels like Food Network, Magnolia Network, HGTV, and more. In the U.S., the streaming service also incorporates news content via the CNN Max hub, as well as sports through the Bleacher Report Sports Add-On.
The rollout of Max will start in the Nordics, Iberia, and Central and Eastern Europe, where it will become available to customers starting on May 21. Poland, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium will get the streamer next, though in Belgium and the Netherlands, the combined service will continue to be called “HBO Max” instead of Max.
“Max is the streaming home of Warner Bros. Discovery and builds on our long heritage in Europe, bringing together an incredible breadth and depth of culture-defining entertainment from our services and networks, all in one place,” WBD streaming chief J.B. Perrette said. “The unrivalled content we’ve got on Max from ‘House of the Dragon’ to Olympic Games Paris 2024 and beyond means whatever your mood or the occasion, Max has something great for everyone, every time.”
European customers will still be able to stream hit movies like “Barbie,” HBO originals like the new season of “House of the Dragon” and much more. A small handful of flagship live linear channels will also be available on Max in some territories and on select plans, including CNN International in France and Poland, TVN in Poland, TV Norge in Norway, Kanal 5 in Sweden, and Eurosport in all countries.
Max will also feature a sports add-on in Europe, though it appears that the Bleacher Report branding won’t be used in those countries. Every Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year will be available to stream, and cycling’s three Grand Tours (including the Tour de France) will be offered as a part of this add-on. Max will also be the home of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in European countries as well.
Plans available to European customers will include the Basic with Ads plan, which streams in full HD resolution with limited ads during playback and allows viewers to watch on two screens simultaneously. The Standard plan removes the ads and allows customers to download up to 30 titles for offline viewing. The Premium plan allows up to four simultaneous streams, 100 downloads, and includes the capability to stream some titles in Ultra-High-Definition 4K.
Does WBD Have Ulterior Motives With European Max Launch?
The rollout of Max in Europe could simply be a move by WBD to boost engagement with its streaming services in as many territories as possible. But it could also be intended to show potential buyers that the company is still pursuing untapped customer bases in diverse markets, and the revenue it intends to find in Europe is there for the taking if another firm were to purchase WBD.
But wait, wasn’t WBD just at the center of acquisition talks with Paramount? Indeed, the company reportedly had interest in acquiring Paramount Global as of December 2023. But updates from late February indicated that WBD had removed itself from discussions with Paramount, which is now engaging with other companies in M&A talks. Like WBD, Paramount recently announced plans to start expanding Paramount+ in more global territories.
In January, a research memo published by MoffettNathanson noted that a partnership between Comcast and WBD made more sense than a combination of WBD and Paramount, spurring discussions that Warner Bros. Discovery may want to think about selling rather than buying assets. This line of thinking is further supported by WBD’s debt load of more than $40 billion, which is a big reason that Wall Street is continuing to hammer the company’s stock price, despite the fact that it turned a streaming profit of more than $100 million in 2023.
If WBD does want to get the ball rolling on M&A discussions, rolling out Max in more European territories could show prospective partners that the company has a clear plan to expand its customer base and streaming profits. It would go to show that despite WBD’s heavy debt, it is still a viable business that can deliver healthy returns for shareholders.
Such talk is hypothetical for now, as talk surrounding a Comcast acquisition of WBD seems to have died down for now. All that’s known for sure is that HBO Max will relaunch as Max in European countries starting on May 21, boosting its distribution to 65 countries around the world.
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.