A new streaming service that will carry many of Sky Atlantic’s popular entertainment shows is getting a rebrand, before it’s even launched in the UK and Ireland.
- Content from TNT Sports, Discovery and shows including Succession and The White Lotus will stream on HBO Max from next year.
- The HBO brand is being brought back internationally, as part of a major U-turn by owner Warner Bros Discovery.
When Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) launches its new all-in-one streaming service in the UK and Ireland it will go live under a slightly different name.
WBD announced on Wednesday it was rebranding its streaming service ‘Max’ – already live in a number of European countries – back to ‘HBO Max’ this summer.
The move means the HBO brand will come to the UK and Ireland at the end of the year. The HBO name is well-known in the USA, where it started off as a premium cable channel. The name gained prominence in the UK and Ireland in 2011 when Sky launched Sky Atlantic as the ‘home of HBO’.
What will HBO Max offer in the UK and Ireland?
The HBO Max streaming service will incorporate content and live streams currently on Discovery+, including TNT Sports. It will also contain live and/or on-demand programmes from across its networks. In European markets where Max/HBO Max is already available, this includes content from the likes of Cartoon Network, CNN, Discovery and TLC. The UK/Ireland service is likely to be similar, with WBD due to reveal full details closer to HBO Max’s launch.
In addition, HBO Max will become the new home of shows including The White Lotus, Succession and the Game of Thrones franchise. These shows are currently exclusive to Sky’s channels and streaming services until its current content deal with HBO ends.
New HBO shows including the forthcoming Harry Potter TV series will premier on HBO Max instead of on Sky’s channels.
However, Sky and WBD have struck a deal that will allow Sky subscribers to continue watching these shows from early 2026. A Sky subscription will provide access to the cheaper ad-supported tier, according to the annoucement made in December 2024. It’s expected that viewers will need to sign up for a separate HBO Max account and link it to their Sky account. That’s similar to how Sky manages relationships with other third-party streaming apps, including Discovery+ at the moment.
Other TV platforms like Virgin Media and EE will have their own arrangements to carry HBO Max. It will also be possible to access HBO Max on a standalone basis, without being part of a bundle. Full pricing details haven’t yet been confirmed.
Context: ever-changing streaming services
Originally ‘Max’ was the name of WBD’s combined streaming service in the USA. It was created after the mega-merger that saw Warner Bros combined with Discovery. Executives wanted to create a major streaming service that replaced various smaller streaming services operated by the newly combined company.
At the time, Discovery had just started out introducing Discovery+ in various markets around the world. Discovery+ in turn replaced Dplay and Eurosport Player in the UK. Over in the USA, Warner Bros’ CNN was preparing to launch CNN+. Meanwhile, entertainment shows were found on HBO Max.
Max started to roll out in parts of Europe, replacing any legacy HBO-branded services and Discovery+. Local versions of Max will now begin to rebrand to HBO Max.
Due to a content deal signed between HBO’s owners and Sky predating the creation of WBD as a company, HBO Max and later Max couldn’t launch in the UK, Ireland and several other countries where Sky operates. As a result, UK and Ireland viewers retained Discovery+.
That changes soon, when the deal with Sky expires. From early 2026, HBO Max can go live in the UK.
What has WBD said about the rebrand?
David Zaslav, President and CEO of Warner Bros Discovery, commented:
“The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming. Today, we are bringing back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in media, to further accelerate that growth in the years ahead.”
By: Marc Thornham | Image: WBD | Updated: 16/05/2025 11:17