HBO Max will launch in the UK and Ireland on March 26, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has confirmed. The streaming service will be available directly to consumers and through partners Amazon and Sky, mirroring its rollout in other markets such as Australia.
Pricing tiers start at £4.99 per month for the Basic with Ads plan, with Standard with Ads at £5.99, ad-free Standard at £9.99, and Premium at £14.99. TNT Sports subscribers will access their accounts via HBO Max at £30.99 per month, while Discovery+ will remain a standalone service and is expected to leave the WBD ecosystem later this year.
HBO Max will be accessible on a wide range of devices including TVs, set-top boxes, streaming devices, mobiles, tablets, game consoles, and platforms such as Android, EE/BT TV, Fire TV, iOS, LG, PlayStation, Roku, Samsung, Virgin TV, and Xbox.
The launch slate includes HBO, Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, and Max originals, with Emmy-winning medical drama The Pitt as a highlight. Upcoming series include new seasons of Euphoria and House of the Dragon, as well as Green Lantern series Lanterns and the Harry Potter TV show. Films such as Superman, One Battle After Another, Sinners, A Minecraft Movie, and Dune: Part One will also be available.
JB Perrette, CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games at WBD, described the launch as a 'huge thrill' after decades of delighting audiences in the region. The service is already available in 110 territories worldwide, and WBD expects its streaming services to surpass 130 million subscribers globally.
Analyst Paolo Pescatore of PP Foresight noted that HBO Max is 'late to the streaming party' but called the launch a 'key first step'. He added that Sky could be 'one of the biggest losers' from the loss of HBO exclusivity. Meanwhile, WBD is in the process of a potential takeover by Netflix, though Perrette declined to comment directly on the deal.
