Max announces further European launches in June
May 7, 2024
Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has announced that its Max streaming service will launch in France, Poland, the Netherlands and Belgium on June 11th. Customers in Belgium will initially receive early access before the full launch on July 1st.
Max launches in Iberia, the Nordics, and Central and Eastern Europe were previously confirmed to be on May 21st. This will make Max available across 25 countries in Europe and 65 countries and territories globally, with more markets to follow.
In addition to direct sales through max.com, and via in-app purchase, Max will launch across Europe with a number of new distribution partnerships. At launch in France, Max will be available to consumers through an array of distribution partnerships across major mobile, broadband and pay-TV players. Canal+ consumers who subscribe to Ciné Séries, Friends & Family, Intégrale and Rat+ packages will have access to Max as part of their subscription at no additional cost. This builds on the distribution partnership between WBD and Canal+ with Max to be made available on its platforms in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Canal+ Brand Solutions will also sell the Max advertising inventory carried on the advertising supported plan in France. Canal+ Brand Solutions currently sells channel inventory for Discovery Channel, ID, TLC, and Eurosport in France.
In France and Spain, Prime Video will make Max available for purchase to its subscribers. The agreement builds on the current partnership that makes content from WBD available on Prime Video Channels in France. Current Warner Pass subscribers in France will get an upgraded experience with Max on Prime Video Channels. Through partnerships with the majority of French mobile, broadband and pay TV providers including Free, Orange, and SFR, Max will be launching with strong distribution support.
JB Perrette, CEO and President of Global Streaming & Games at WBD, said: “Strong partnerships will turbo charge scale and build greater awareness for Max, helping us to reach new users faster, more effectively and more efficiently. Warner Bros Discovery is still in the early days of our streaming growth. With almost half of the global addressable market still to come, we are excited and optimistic about the road ahead.”
In the Netherlands, Ad Alliance will become the exclusive advertising sales partner for HBO Max. Ad Alliance will manage and provide advertising for the Basic with Ads plan in the Dutch market. In Belgium, Be tv customers will gain access to HBO Max on the Basic with Ads plan at no additional cost. Telenet subscribers will get access to HBO Max soon after launch. Ads & Data has been selected as the advertising sales partner for HBO Max in Belgium.
Consumers can choose among three Max plans, plus a Sports Add-On which may be added to any base plan. The Basic with Ads plan will be available first in nine European countries: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Romania, Poland, France and Belgium before expanding to others. Available in all countries at launch are the ad-free Standard Plan and the Premium plan which provides the best consumer experience with full HD or 4K resolution and with Dolby Atmos sound (as available).
Max brings together HBO Max’s programming, Discovery’s real-life entertainment and all the action from Eurosport’s subscription service.
Subscribers will be able to enjoy a wide range of entertainment with fresh Warner Bros movies such as Barbie and Wonka, as well as iconic films from WB’s library including Harry Potter, Paddington, The Matrix, The Dark Knight and Joker, and HBO Originals including The Last of Us, The White Lotus, Euphoria, Succession, The Sympathizer, The Jinx Part Two and the upcoming new comedy The Franchise.
A new slate of Max Originals based on popular Warner Bros Pictures’ entities will be coming to Max including The Penguin and Welcome to Derry, the prequel series to Stephen King’s IT. Fan favourites like 90 Day Fiancé, Gold Rush, Naked and Afraid and Fixer Upper from Discovery will also be on offer. Availability of titles differs for each market.
A Sports Add-On will bring fans extensive coverage of major international sports including every tennis Grand Slam – Australian Open, Roland-Garros, The Championships, Wimbledon and the US Open, cycling’s three Grand Tours – Giro d’Italia, La Vuelta a España, and the Tour de France in addition to the Tour de France Femmes, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and every major winter sports World Championship and World Cup events.