US streaming app confirms UK launch with critically acclaimed shows such as The Last of Us
THE streaming platform that brought US audiences shows like The Last of US and The White Lotus is finally coming to Britain.
But viewers will have to wait until 2026.
Warner Bros. Discovery has confirmed that it plans to launch Max – previously known as HBO Max – in the UK.
The streaming app is packed with top shows currently available for UK viewers to watch via Sky and the Now TV app.
The move is the result of the termination of the partnership with Sky, owner of Now TV.
This scheme has been in place since 2010 and was extended in 2019.
But with other ventures, such as Disney+ and Paramount+, launching their own standalone streaming services, the bosses at Max think now is the time to go their own way.
Now that the Max license has been outsourced to Sky, Warner Bros. effectively barred from launching its own app in the UK.
It is understood that Max programs broadcast via Sky or Now TV will stop streaming on December 31, 2025.
So viewers still have a long time to make use of their current subscriptions and finish the series they have been watching.
In an earnings call on Friday, Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav said: “We are excited to return to growth in new market rollouts in 2024.
“There will likely be more in Asia and Australasia by 2025. And the rest of the European markets are tentatively scheduled for 2026.”
Zaslav noted that Britain, Germany and Italy are key markets the company wants to bring Max to.
Will viewers fancy another streaming app?
Analysis by Millie Turner, Technology & Science Reporter for The Sun.
Max – formerly HBO Max – is finally coming to Britain.
And although Warner Bros. will certainly have mapped out its potential consumer market across the country and the rest of Europe – will the Brits really buy into another streaming app?
After the announcement, social media – unexpectedly – did not flood with viewers exuding relief and excitement that their long wait was over.
Sentiment towards streaming apps is turning increasingly sour globally, but especially in Britain, as consumers feel they are facing price hikes.
Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video all raised their subscription fees last year or put previously free features behind a paywall.
That, along with a Netflix-driven trend to block account sharing between family and friends, has left consumers feeling ripped off — or having to reduce the number of apps they watch.
Many social media users have vowed to stop paying for another streaming service, instead jumping from one to another with monthly memberships.
Where this decision will leave Sky and Now TV is also open to question, but it could make their offering less attractive to consumers.
“It’s until 2026 but I certainly won’t be paying £6 a month for Sky’s own content,” said one viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter) following Warner Bros. announcement.
Do you have room in your life for another app?