HBO Max is finally coming to the UK. First mooted for an international launch back in 2021, I’ve been waiting for the streaming service to come to the UK for years. But as years went by, and HBO Max launched across Europe, I kept wondering if it would ever make it to the UK. Thankfully, I won’t have to wait much longer, and it’s come at the perfect time.
Big Hollywood movies such as One Battle After Another, which scooped six statuettes including Best Picture at the Oscars, and Sinners, which scooped four Academy Awards after receiving a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations, will both be available to watch on HBO Max when it launches in the UK next week.
As well as Warner Bros’ enormous catalogue of films, HBO Max is also home to multi-award-winning shows such as Succession, The White Lotus, The Last of Us and Game of Thrones. Frustratingly, UK viewers have never been able to watch them on HBO’s own streaming service, as the company has long licensed its content to Sky and Now instead.
Until next week, that is. And while Sky has confirmed it will include the ‘basic with ads’ tier of HBO Max within certain TV packages, and Now is upgrading existing Entertainment members to include HBO Max content at no extra cost, I’ll still be subscribing directly on day one rather than taking out a Sky bundle.
Here’s everything you need to know about HBO Max’s UK launch.
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HBO Max UK release date
HBO Max will officially launch in the UK and Ireland on Thursday 26 March 2026. The UK is the final country in Europe to get HBO Max, following the continent’s rollout, which started with the Nordics in 2021.
The reason for the delay was a long-running exclusive deal between HBO and Sky. Signed in 2019, it gave Sky the exclusive first-run rights to HBO’s shows in the UK and Ireland via the Sky Atlantic channel.
HBO content was tied exclusively to Sky’s channels and apps, preventing HBO Max from launching in the UK while the agreement was active. If you wanted to watch HBO shows elsewhere, your only option was the standalone Now service. When the deal finally expired in late 2025, the path was clear at last.
How much will HBO Max cost in the UK?
HBO Max has four entertainment plans. The basic ad-supported tier costs £4.99 per month and lets you stream on two devices simultaneously.
The standard tier with ads costs £5.99 per month. It includes Warner Bros films once they arrive on streaming after their theatrical release – something you don’t get with the basic plan. Again, you can stream on two devices at once. Don’t want ads? The standard tier without ads costs £9.99 per month.
The premium top-tier plan costs £14.99 per month. You can stream on up to four devices at once, watch in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Atmos (where available) and download up to 100 titles for offline viewing.
What if you’re an existing Sky or Now customer?
If you already subscribe to Sky or Now, you won’t suddenly lose access to HBO shows.
Now has confirmed that its £9.99 per month Entertainment membership will be upgraded to include HBO Max content at no extra cost from launch. That means existing Now subscribers will be able to access HBO titles within the Now app, without taking out a separate HBO Max subscription. This will be available ad-free with Now boost or ultra boost packages.
Sky is also including the HBO Max ad-based tier as part of its Sky Ultimate TV packages on Sky Stream, Sky Glass and Sky Q at no extra cost. If you don’t already have Sky, the broadcaster has a new £24 per month Ultimate TV bundle, which combines Sky TV, Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max into one package.
That said, if you’re anything like me and are only interested in HBO originals, don’t want a wider TV bundle, or just don’t want to be locked in to a long-term contract, subscribing directly to HBO Max for £4.99 per month will be the cheapest way to watch HBO shows in the UK. That’s the main reason why I’ll be subscribing on day one. After having tested the HBO Max app over the past couple of years, my verdict is that the standalone experience on HBO Max is significantly better than both Sky Go and the Now app.
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What shows will be on HBO Max in the UK?
HBO’s entire catalogue will be available to stream on HBO Max. That includes HBO originals, Max originals and Warner Bros Television box sets, from Succession, The White Lotus, The Last of Us and Game of Thrones to Euphoria, Station Eleven, House of the Dragon, The Sopranos, The Wire, Veep and more. Friends will also return to UK streaming, after leaving Netflix at the end of last year. It left the platform after Netflix’s licensing deal for the series expired, and the rights returned to Warner Bros amid the ongoing shuffle of major titles between streaming services.
The show I’m most looking forward to is the award-winning Max Original medical drama The Pitt, which has yet to air in the UK and will be the first HBO show to premiere exclusively on the streaming service, rather than Sky or Now.
Lanterns from DC Studios will also premiere on HBO Max this year, and the much-anticipated Harry Potter TV adaptation is also coming to the platform.
What films will be on HBO Max in the UK?
If you’ve just seen One Battle After Another and Sinners sweep the Oscars, you’ll be pleased to hear you’ll be able to watch both films on HBO Max on day one. That’s because they’re both Warner Bros productions.
The streaming service will also be home to a huge catalogue of Warner Bros films, including recent cinema releases such as Dune: Part One, Superman and A Minecraft Movie.
You’ll also have the entire Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings film series at your fingertips, alongside other Warner Bros franchises.
Will HBO Max include sport in the UK?
Indeed it will, but it’ll be handled separately from the entertainment plans. TNT Sports will move from Discovery+ to HBO Max. It’ll be where you access live coverage of the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Premiership Rugby, UFC, MotoGP and Grand Slam tennis.
TNT Sports will be available either as a standalone subscription or as an add-on to HBO Max entertainment plans, rather than being bundled in by default. In other words, you don’t have to pay for sport if you only want TV and films.
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