Warner Bros. Discovery launches Max across 20 countries in Europe

House Of The Dragon

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has launched its streaming service Max across 20 countries in Europe, headlined by movies including Dune: Part Two and HBO series such as The Last of Us.

The US studio confirmed in October that it would be rolling Max out across Europe this year, following a roll-out in Lat Am earlier in 2024. Execs have previously explained its plan to tailor launches in Europe into three categories.

Today’s expansion will see the service become accessible in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Bosnia & Herzegovnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Barbie

Launches later in the year are planned for the Netherlands and Poland, with the service also set to be extended into France on 11 June and in Belgium on 1 July, taking it to a total footprint of 25 countries in Europe and 65 countries and territories worldwide.

Max’s slate includes a raft of recent moves launches, including Barbie, Wonka, Joker and legacy films including the Harry Potter franchise.

The second season of HBO’s House Of The Dragon will premiere on Max in Europe on 17 June, with other series such as The White Lotus, Euphoria, True Detective: Night Country and The Sympathizer available immediately. Warner Bros. TV and Discovery shows such as Friends and 90 Day Fiancé are also included.

JB Perrette, CEO & president of global streaming & games, said the launch marked “a significant milestone in the globalisation of Max,” which is offering a ‘basic with ads’ plan, in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Romania, with further roll-out planned.

A standard and premium package, as well as a sports add-on, is available across Max’s European footprint.

JB Perrette (Source: Series Mania)

Perrette told the Series Mania Forum in Lille earlier this year that Max would launch into further “new markets” in 2025, with countries such as the UK and Australia seemingly set to receive the service following the end of exclusive HBO output deals that have seen programming only available via companies such as Sky.

However, Perrette has also addressed the importance of striking ongoing partnerships with telcos to expand Max’s reach, pointing to Spain as an example of how the company’s strategy is unfolding where deals are being struck with Vodafone, Telefonica, Orange and Mas Movil.

WBD has ordered a smattering of European originals for Max having pulled back its original spend over recent years.

Its first original series from France has been confirmed as Black Lies, which will sit alongside shows such as crime thriller Malditos (working title) and an adaptation of Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur’s Living With Our Dead.

Max arrives in key Southeast Asia countries later this year.