Max Launches in UK & Ireland
Max (formerly HBO Max) finally launched in the U.K. and Ireland after the 2019 Sky deal delay, marking an important territorial expansion into the second‑largest English‑speaking streaming market. The rollout gives Max new distribution leverage for flagship series and local commissioning. (x.com)
Warner Bros. Discovery set the UK & Ireland launch for HBO Max on March 26, 2026, saying the service will be available directly via hbomax.com and through launch partners including Sky and Prime Video. (press.wbd.com) The streamer announced four monthly entertainment tiers at launch — Basic with Ads £4.99, Standard with Ads £5.99, Standard (no ads) £9.99 and Premium £14.99 — and confirmed TNT Sports access will remain priced at £30.99 for subscribers. (deadline.com) Under an expanded Sky partnership, WBD said the ad‑supported version of Max will be bundled for Sky and NOW customers at no extra cost once the service launches, after Sky and WBD extended their distribution agreement into early 2026. (press.wbd.com) WBD confirmed the complete first season of Emmy‑winning Max Original The Pitt will be available in the UK & Ireland on day one, with the second season episodes rolling out weekly. (press.wbd.com) The company listed upcoming HBO/Max tentpoles arriving on the service in the market: new seasons of Euphoria and House of the Dragon, the DC Studios Lanterns series, the Harry Potter TV series, and key theatrical titles such as One Battle After Another, Sinners, Superman and A Minecraft Movie. (press.wbd.com) WBD said HBO Max will host TNT Sports in‑app, bringing live sport including Premier League fixtures, the UEFA Champions League and MotoGP to subscribers; TNT Sports itself has advertised a schedule that includes 52 exclusive Premier League matches for its 2024‑25 season slate. (press.wbd.com) (tntsports.co.uk) Deadline reported WBD is positioning the UK roll‑out to support local commissioning — the streamer is developing European medical dramas and has struck overall deals with executives like Domingo Corral, while WBD creative chiefs described the Harry Potter series as an unusually large financial commitment. (deadline.com)
