TV fans, the wait is almost over. HBO Max finally lands in the UK tomorrow, and it couldn’t be coming at a better time. After waiting years to subscribe, I and millions of UK viewers will be able to stream Oscar-winning films One Battle After Another and Sinners from day one.
HBO Max’s UK launch has been six years in the making. The final country in Europe to get access to the streaming service, HBO Max is home to multi-award-winning shows such as Succession, The White Lotus, The Last of Us and Game of Thrones., and it’ll be the only place where you can stream the high-stress medical drama The Pitt.
So how much will it cost, what shows and films am I most excited about? And what will happen to those who already have a Sky package or a Now subscription? Here’s everything you need to know about HBO Max’s UK launch and how you can subscribe from tonight.
Read more: HBO’s The Pitt begins streaming in the UK this week
HBO Max UK release date
HBO Max will, at long last, launch in the UK and Ireland tomorrow 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.
But what was the reason for the delay? Sky has had a long-running exclusive deal with HBO for years. Signed in 2019, it gave Sky the exclusive first-run rights to HBO’s shows in the UK and Ireland via Sky Atlantic.
HBO content was therefore 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, your only option was to get a Sky package or subscribe to Now. The deal finally expired in April 2025, and we’re finally getting access to HBO Max.
Read more: All the Harry Potter films are coming to this UK streaming platform
How much will HBO Max cost in the UK?
HBO Max has four entertainment plans. The cheapest Basic plan costs £4.99 and includes ads, but if you want to watch Warner Bros’ latest theatrical releases, you’ll need to subscribe to the Standard tier or higher. You can also get a subscription just for TNT Sports.
- Basic with Ads: £4.99 per month – Stream on two devices at once, full HD, includes older Warner Bros films (not all films included)
- Standard with Ads: £5.99 per month – Stream on two devices at once, full HD, 30 offline downloads, includes latest Warner Bros theatrical releases
- Standard: £9.99 per month – No adverts. Stream on two devices at once, full HD, 30 offline downloads, includes latest Warner Bros theatrical releases
- Premium: £14.99 per month – No adverts. Stream on four devices at once, 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Atmos where available, 100 offline downloads, includes latest Warner Bros theatrical releases
- TNT Sports plan: £30.99 per month – No HBO content. Includes TNT Sports 1-4, TNT Sports Ultimate, live event feeds and TNT Sports original documentaries, two-device limit
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 with ads 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. It will also 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.
Read more: The streaming wars just went nuclear with Sky’s new £24 “super-bundle”
5 HBO Max shows I can’t wait to watch in the UK
HBO’s entire catalogue will be available to stream on HBO Max, including 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. But what shows should you have on your radar? These are the five shows I’m most excited about.
1. ‘The Pitt’
Noah Wyle leads the cast as a senior doctor (HBO Max)
If there’s one show I’ve been waiting to watch, it’s The Pitt. It first aired more than a year ago in the US and has picked up award after award at the Golden Globes and Emmys. Set in a struggling Pittsburgh hospital, the medical drama unfolds over a single 15-hour shift, with each episode covering one hour. It follows a team of doctors working under constant pressure.
2. ‘Euphoria’ season 3
(HBO Max)
It’s been four years since we last saw Rue (and her messy, complicated life) on our screens, and the new season is finally on the way. The show catapulted the careers of its young cast, including Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi. With a five-year time jump, the third season follows the characters beyond high school as they navigate adulthood, with Rue dealing with the fallout of her past. HBO Max will be the only place where you can watch the two previous seasons.
3. ‘Rooster’
(HBO Max)
Who says HBO can’t do comedy? Available to stream at launch, with episodes dropping weekly, Rooster stars Steve Carell as a successful author who ends up teaching at a college to be closer to his daughter, inevitably getting pulled into her personal life. It’s already been a massive hit in the US, becoming HBO’s most-watched comedy premiere in over a decade.
4. ‘Lanterns’
(HBO Max)
Coming to the platform in August, Lanterns is part of DC’s rebooted universe and follows Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart as they investigate a murder on Earth. DC’s boss James Gunn is pitching it as a gritty detective-style series in the vein of True Detective, rather than a run-of-the-mill superhero story.
5. ‘Harry Potter’ TV series
(HBO Max)
Probably the most highly anticipated show coming to HBO Max, the Harry Potter TV series is expected to premiere in 2027. The TV adaptation will reboot the books for a new generation, with each season set to cover one instalment. Die-hard Harry Potter fans will likely say it’s too soon for a reboot, but will inevitably watch it anyway.
5 films I can’t wait to stream 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, with a £5.99 Standard subscription. That’s because they’re both Warner Bros productions. You’ll also have the entire Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings film series at your fingertips, alongside other Warner Bros franchises. These are the five films I’m excited to stream first.
1. ‘One Battle After Another’
Leonardo DiCaprio in Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘One Battle After Another’ (Warner Bros)
One of the biggest Oscar winners this year, One Battle After Another took home six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the surrealist film follows a former revolutionary forced out of hiding to protect his daughter from a dangerous white supremacist officer.
2. ‘Sinners’
The Stream (Warner Bros)
Sinners won four Oscars, including best actor for Michael B Jordan. Directed by Ryan Coogler, the southern gothic horror follows twin brothers who return to their hometown to open a bar, only to find themselves caught up in a growing supernatural threat that begins to take over the community. It’s one of the most talked-about films of the year.
3. ‘Marty Supreme’
YE-Film-Movies of the Year-2025 (A24)
Nominated for nine Oscars, Marty Supreme stars Timothée Chalamet as a rising table tennis prodigy as he navigates fame and the pressures that come with it. Directed by Josh Safdie, it’s set to land on HBO Max in the US on 24 April, and I’m hoping it’ll be released in the UK on the platform then too.
4. ‘The Bride’
(Warner Bros)
Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Bride! is a gothic reimagining of the Frankenstein story, starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale. Set in 1930s Chicago, it follows the creation of a companion for Frankenstein’s monster, spiralling into darker and darker territory by the end. Currently in cinemas, it’s expected to be released on HBO Max in June.
5. ‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’
Horror reboots are having a moment. A new reboot of The Mummy is being released in the cinema on 17 April and it’s going to be a lot scarier than the original. Directed by Evil Dead Rise’s Lee Cronin, it follows a family whose young daughter mysteriously disappears in the desert, only to return years later. Except the happy reunion doesn’t turn out to be so happy. It’s expected to launch on HBO Max in the autumn.
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. The standalone subscription will cost £30.99 per month.
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