Max
What you need to know about the streaming service
When Max will launch in Germany, how much the service might cost and what there will be to see…
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Numerous video streaming services have established themselves on the German market. Max is another one.
The selection of services for which subscribers in Germany is a big player. And it will probably get even bigger in the future, because another player wants to get involved in the market and compete with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+ and Paramount+, among others. Warner’s Max offering, also known as HBO Max, is coming to Germany in the foreseeable future, as recently confirmed by an official source.
When does Max launch in Germany?
JB Perrette, head of streaming and gaming at Warner Bros. Discovery, has in conversation with the US industry magazine “Variety” As part of the launch of Max in France and Belgium, it was confirmed that the service would also be coming to Germany. In the USA, the provider was launched in May 2020 as HBO Max and replaced previous offerings. In 2023, after a merger between Warner Media and Discovery, there was a reboot and the service was renamed Max in the United States.
The streaming service is now available as Max or HBO Max in more than 65 countries and territories worldwide, including 25 in Europe. A launch in several Southeast Asian countries is scheduled for 2024. According to Perrette, the plan is to roll out Max “in the rest of the world” over the next two years. In this context, he explicitly mentions Germany in addition to Great Britain and Italy.
However, it is not yet clear when exactly this will happen. A start in late 2025 or early 2026 seems realistic. The Financial Times reported in 2021that HBO content and some Warner Bros. films will remain exclusive to Sky until at least 2025 due to licensing agreements for those regions. In Germany, the content will initially be available as streamed via Sky’s Wow service.
What content is available at Max?
The most compelling reason for a Max subscription will likely be the series offerings from the US broadcaster HBO. HBO and Max Originals that have been celebrated in recent years include “The Last of Us”, “The White Lotus”, “Euphoria”, “True Detective”, “Succession”, the “Sex and the City” spin-off “And Just Like That…” as well as “Game of Thrones” and its spin-off “House of the Dragon”. Max is also home to major film brands in the USA such as “Barbie”, “Wonka” and “Dune” as well as DC heroes and villains such as Batman, Aquaman and the Joker. The Batman series “The Penguin” will be launched in 2024, among others, and will then also be shown on Sky and Wow.
Will HBO content stay on Wow?
It is still unclear how Max will launch in Germany in terms of the content it offers. Dana Strong, head of the Sky Group, said according to Variety recently announced that they have been partners with Warner for a long time and are still in talks about the future of the agreements made. During a conference, she explained that “Sky customers will be able to access Warner content on Sky platforms in every scenario” in the future. However, given Perrette’s announcement, it is uncertain what this future will look like. The series in particular are likely to move to Max.
How much will Max cost?
There are currently no official details of monthly or annual subscription costs in Germany. However, prices are likely to be based on prices in other countries – and those of the competition. In the USA, depending on the package selected, prices currently range from around ten dollars to almost 21 dollars a month – or from around 100 to 210 dollars a year.
For comparison: Disney+ subscription prices in this country currently range from around six euros per month with advertising or at least just under nine euros without advertising, to up to 120 euros per year. Netflix only offers monthly subscriptions between just under five euros (with advertising) and around 20 euros.