Key Points
- Warner Bros Discovery will launch HBO Max in the U.K. and Ireland on March 24, ending HBO’s long-standing licensing deal with Sky Atlantic.
- HBO Max will become the exclusive home for HBO content locally, debuting shows like “The Pitt” and hosting future originals including a new “Harry Potter” series.
- The service will offer four subscription tiers priced from £5 to £15 per month, with TNT Sports available as a £31 monthly add-on.
After years of speculation, Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) is finally bringing its flagship streaming service HBO Max to the United Kingdom and Ireland this spring.
The app will debut in both countries on March 24, offering British and Irish streamers the opportunity to watch hit shows like “Friends,” “The Sopranos,” “Euphoria” and the first season of “The Pitt” on their phones, tablets and smart TVs.
The deal comes as WBD is winding down an agreement with Comcast that saw many HBO original series and documentaries offered on Sky Atlantic, which was available through the Sky satellite and streaming service.
Sky continues to serve as a production partner of some U.S.-based series that are being developed with other studios, and Sky Atlantic will offer premium shows from Peacock and other networks and services when the HBO licensing agreement ends in March. Sky Atlantic previously offered shows from Paramount’s Showtime under a separate deal that ended in 2021.
After March, HBO Max will become the official destination for HBO content in the U.K. and Ireland. The streaming app will offer the first run of Noah Wyle’s new medical drama “The Pitt,” which has been unavailable to audiences there. The first season of the show will stream on launch date, and the second season will be offered at a later time.
A forthcoming “Harry Potter” series being developed with Warner Bros will also land on the service, and that is expected to continue even if WBD is successful in selling its film studio and HBO business unit to Netflix in the coming months.
“After decades of delighting audiences in the U.K. and Ireland with our remarkable stories and brands, it’s a huge thrill to finally bring it all together on HBO Max, and also offer it directly to all consumers,” J.B. Perrette, the President of Global Streaming at WBD, said in a statement.
TNT Sports will also be offered through the HBO Max service, mirroring its stateside counterpart. As part of the launch, TNT Sports will move off the Discovery Plus service and switch to HBO Max on an exclusive basis in the coming months, the entertainment giant said.
“Launching HBO Max in the U.K. and Ireland marks a significant moment for viewers here,” Andrew Georgiou, the President of WBD U.K. and Ireland, said this week. “HBO Max will offer them their most loved series and movies from HBO, Warner Bros and DC Studios, alongside premium sports from TNT Sports in the U.K., within an outstanding single destination for this great content and strong value proposition.”
HBO Max will launch with four subscription tiers: A basic, ad-supported plan at £5 per month (around U.S. $6.90 per month), an ad-supported plan that allows for offline downloads at £6 per month (around $8.20 per month), a commercial-free tier that costs £10 per month (around $13.70 per month) and a premium version with additional features like ultra high-definition (UHD/4K) video streams and Dolby Atmos audio for £15 per month (around $20.50 per month).
TNT Sports will be available as a £31 per month ($43 per month) add-on feature.
More Stories
- WBD could launch Max in UK after Sky deal runs out (July 2024)
- WBD hires Sasha Breslau from ITV ahead of HBO Max rollout in U.K. (July 2025)
- Comcast’s Sky sues WBD over long-term TV deal (September 2024)
- HBO Max sets October date for European launch (September 2021)
