For years, UK viewers have got most HBO content broadcast in the US via Sky and Now’s Entertainment Membership, with a few exceptions such as comedy hit Hacks . However, there has been speculation over the last few months on the global expansion of the streaming service, HBO Max.
When will HBO Max launch in the UK?
Warner has confirmed that HBO Max UK will launch in March 2026 .
That’s later than some expected, as Friends is leaving Netflix on 30 December 2025 , and at the time of writing has no other confirmed streaming home in Great Britain.
Friends would be a huge draw for the platform, as it has consistently been one of the most watched things on Netflix UK since arriving in 2018. Nonetheless, HBO Max won’t arrive until the spring.
Will Netflix’s deal with Warner Bros. impact the HBO Max UK launch?
On 5 December 2025, Deadline confirmed that Netflix had successfully bought Warner Bros for $82.7B. This means that “Netflix would acquire the Warner Bros. Studios and HBO Max streaming assets”, though there will be “regulatory conditions” to this.
HBO Max will likely still launch in the UK as planned. This is because according to Deadline, the deal won’t come into force until Q3 2026, so around next Autumn.
After this time, there’s a possibility that HBO Max shows may be moved completely over to Netflix – with the brand sitting on the platform like a ‘label’ – similar to how ESPN+ does on Disney+. Presumably, this would impact not just the UK, but all other countries where HBO Max operates.
It’s hard to predict the exact nuances of the deal, as they will likely be hashed out over the coming months.
How will HBO Max launch in the UK?
It’s now been confirmed by Sky that Max’s cheapest ad-supported tier will be available to Sky TV customers at no extra charge – a similar set up to how they can get Paramount+ for free .
This deal will also extend to anyone who has a Now Entertainment Membership , which costs £9.99 per month (though users can get it for half price at the time of writing if they lock in for a longer contract). Sky TV is now available starting from £15 per month .
Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry
How much will HBO Max cost in the UK?
Warner has not mentioned anything about the UK costs of Max. However, here’s how much it costs in the US:
- HBO Max Basic with Ads: $10.99 per month/$109.99 per year – 1080p resolution, no offline downloads, two concurrent streams, 5.1 surround sound quality
- HBO Max Standard (Ad-Free) – $18.49 per month/$184.99 per year – 1080p resolution, up to 30 offline downloads, two concurrent streams, 5.1 surround sound quality
- HBO Max Premium (Ad-Free, 4K) – $22.99 per month/$229.99 per year – 4K resolution, up to 100 offline downloads, four concurrent streams, Dolby Atmos sound quality available
Rival streaming services often have slightly lower numbers in the UK due to conversions, so we’d expect these tiers to differ slightly. We also don’t know if HBO Max will offer all three tiers mentioned above, or if it will just stick to one ad-supported and one ad-free option at launch.
Ollie Upton/HBO
Will Sky and Now customers be able to get HBO Max ad-free?
The tier confirmed to be available free for Sky and Now customers is the ad-supported one, which we assume will the cheapest version of HBO Max available.
Will I still be able to watch HBO shows via Sky?
Yes. This change won’t happen until 2026, so you’ll still be able to stream The White Lotus , House of the Dragon , The Penguin and more without any changes until the end of next year.
Warner Bros. Discovery/HBO
Cordbusters also confirmed that any existing shows (or ones that debut before the end of 2025) will continue to be broadcast on Sky Atlantic and on-demand – that includes Peacemaker . However, anything after that, like the Harry Potter TV series , will almost certainly be exclusive to HBO Max.
HBO Max isn’t available until early 2026, so you’ve still got a while for that option to be on the table. However, if you want to watch HBO content now and don’t know if Sky or Now is the best option, you can read our breakdown of the differences in our Sky buying guide.
Author: Hannah Cowton-Barnes, Entertainment Editor, Tech Advisor
As Tech Advisor’s Entertainment Editor, Hannah is the resident expert in all things streaming, film and TV. Before joining Tech Advisor in 2019, she studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Leeds and created a website dedicated to geek culture and lifestyle. She’s also reviewed a whole range of gadgets including flagship smartphones, wearables and styling tools. Outside of Foundry, she’s written freelance pieces for Polygon, Metro and Den of Geek, and is proud to be a Women Techmakers Ambassador for Google.
Recent stories by Hannah Cowton-Barnes:
- Harry Potter TV series has finally revealed a release window
- Jessica Jones returns in Daredevil: Born Again season 2 trailer
- The Traitors will return for season 5 with new twists and challenges
