Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) is adding a sampling of comedies and dramas from Britbox to its HBO Max streaming platform as part of a limited-run promotion.
The promotion started on Friday and runs through the end of September, during which HBO Max will offer 15 shows from Britbox at no extra cost.
It is the second time HBO Max has showcased content from another brand since it launched several years ago. Last year, when it was known as “Max,” the streaming app offered select titles from AMC Plus; executives at AMC Networks affirmed that the partnership brought in new subscribers to AMC Plus based on the exposure brought by the Max deal.
Britbox is hoping for the same. After BBC Studios acquired full control of the streaming service in early 2024, the platform has executed on different strategies with the goal of increasing the visibility of their content and winning over new subscribers.
Last October, Britbox announced a new streaming bundle with Starz that allows streamers to buy access to both services for $15 per month. Normally, Britbox costs $9 per month, while Starz is priced at $11 per month.
WBD counts more than 120 million global streaming subscribers, with HBO Max being its biggest streaming service. Executives at WBD say onboarding Britbox was a no-brainer because the platform’s original storytelling complements the Warner Bros-produced shows and movies available on HBO Max.
“This BritBox sampling gives our subscribers a chance to discover a variety of great British television series featuring rich, distinctive stories,” Joshua Walker, the Chief Financial & Strategy Officer of Streaming at WBD, said in a statement. “We’re continually looking for creative ways to bring more high-quality storytelling to our HBO Max audience.”
“HBO Max viewers seek premium entertainment they can’t get anywhere else,” Robert Schildhouse, the President of Britbox North America, said on Friday. “Through this partnership, we are excited to offer them a premium collection of distinctly British series to complement their viewing experience, including acclaimed series, fan-favorite franchises, standout performances from celebrated talent, and exceptional storytelling across mystery, crime, drama and comedy.”
The Britbox shows available to HBO Max subscribers are:
- “Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy”
- “Agatha Christie’s Towards Zero”
- “Blue Lights” (Seasons 1-2)
- “Father Brown” (Seasons 1-2)
- “Luther” (Season 1 available August 1-30; Season 2 available August 31 to September 29)
- “Shakespeare & Hathaway” (Season 1-2)
- “Sherwood” (Season 1, available in August only)
- “Silent Witness,” (Seasons 26-27)
- “Sister Boniface” (Seasons 1-2)
- “The Inspector Lynley Mysteries” (Seasons 1-2)
- “The Office” (Seasons 1-2) and “The Office Christmas
- Specials” (Parts 1-2)
- “The Sixth Commandment”
- “Three Little Birds”
- “Time” (Season 1 available August 1-30; Season 2 available August 31 to September 29)
- “Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?”
As a private enterprise, Britbox doesn’t regularly disclose subscriber counts. Last year, executives said the service had 3.75 million customers and was profitable.
HBO Max starts at $10 per month with ads. A version that pairs HBO Max with Disney Plus and Hulu costs $17 per month
