HBO Max: Everything you need to know
HBO Max may be newer to the streaming wars, but its already challenging the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. It has just about everything HBO’s ever released, along with new exclusives, the Warner Bros. back catalogue, and even a few other wins like Friends, the Studio Ghibli movies, the Justice League Snyder Cut and the Friends reunion special.
The service is also getting all the new 2021 films from Warner Bros., which will be available to stream on HBO Max at the same time they are released in cinemas. Some of the biggest films of the year are on this list – including The Suicide Squad, Dune and The Matrix 4.
Here’s all in the information on HBO Max, including how to watch it from the UK and what shows and films are on there. We also have a list of thebest upcoming shows on the platform,as well as a guide to getting HBO Max for free.
HBO Max isavailable now,and you can sign up on theHBO Max website. For more details on how to access it on your device, read our piece onhow to get HBO Max.
What is HBO Max?
HBO Max is a single streaming platform that not only includes all of HBO’s own original content – from shows likeGame of ThronesandWestworldto a range of movies – but also new original material and content from owner WarnerMedia’s other services.
You can find content from the likes of the following:
How much does it cost?
The service costs $14.99 per month. That’s the same price as the existing HBO Now service, and HBO Max includes all that content and more, so it’s impressive that HBO has kept pricing the same.
A cheaper, ad-supported version of the service, similar to thead-enabled Hulu subscription, is out now, HBO Max with Ads costs $9.99 per month, and is notable for essentially being the first time that HBO has ever delivered its customers ads, though the company insists it will have “the lightest ad load in the streaming industry.”
However, this version does not include new 2021 movie releases such as The Suicide Squad, and can only be streamed up to 1080p, rather than 4K.
In addition, the service is free for existing HBO subscribers on AT&T and HBO Now direct billing customers, while customers who subscribe to AT&T’s premium video, mobile and broadband packages can also get the platform at no additional cost. Here’s a list of the specific customers who are eligible for this:
Other AT&T customers can still get free trials of the service, though the length of the trial depends on the account that you have, and some offers are only available for a limited amount of time. If you’d like to know more, check outAT&T’s website. You can find all these offers in ourroundup of discounts for HBO Max.
In addition, some other third-party HBO subscribers are eligible. If you currently pay for HBO through one of the following providers should be able to get HBO Max for free:
The sign-up process will differ depending on your plan – check with your provider for full details.
The initial seven-day free trial on offer to all new subscribers is no longer available. Like Netflix and Disney Plus, HBO Max phased this out just ahead of the release ofWonder Woman 1984.
Is HBO Max coming to the UK?
In all honesty we’d be very surprised if HBO Max came to the UK. Neither of the company’s other streaming services are available in the UK, and instead it has lucrative deals with Sky to make HBO content available onSky AtlanticandNow– those deals mean that it’s very unlikely we’ll see HBO Max here.
A UK launch got even less likely when Sky announced an extension of its “multi-year programming partnership” with HBO in October 2019, “meaning Sky and NOW TV customers will be able to enjoy award-winning content from HBO and Warner Bros. … for many years to come,” according to a Sky press release. That announcement even specifically cited HBO Max in reference to new co-productions between Sky and HBO Max, following previous co-productions including Chernobyl and Catherine the Great.
So essentially there’s almost no chance that HBO Max will come to the UK, but it’s likely that most, if not all, of the original exclusives will come to Sky and Now.
HBO Max is now in 39 territories in Latin America and the Caribbean. However, there are a few differences in the plans. There’s no ad-supported plans in these countries, but there is a mobile-only plan which supports SD streaming and up to five title downloads. Prices vary depending on each country.
It will launch in parts of Europe where HBO already directly operates later on this year. If you’d like to know more about the platform’s international expansion, then take look at our piece onwhere HBO Max is available.
How to watch HBO Max from the UK
We’ve managed to crack the code to watching HBO Max in the US through using a VPN, a US Google Play/Apple ID account and the HBO Max app. VPNs give you a new IP address, so you can browse the internet as if you’re based in the US.
Here’s the basic steps you need to watch HBO Max in the UK:
We’ve successfully tested this method withNordVPN, though you should also be able to do it with the likes ofExpressVPNor another one of ourrecommended VPNs for HBO Max. You can find full instructions in our guide towatching HBO Max from the UK.
Which Warner Bros. films will release on HBO Max in 2020 and 2021?
HBO Max will be the first streaming platform in the world to gain an entire slate of brand new movies that will release in cinemas at the same time.
Here’s the updated film release schedule as things stand. Note that these dates could potentially change due to the ongoing delays of the pandemic:
What classic shows and films are on HBO Max?
Friends has left US Netflix to move over to HBO Max – and is even getting a one-off special reunion episode – and that other ’90s favourite The Fresh Prince of Bel Air is on the platform, along with The Big Bang Theory.
At San Diego Comic-Con it was also announced that theDC Universeshow Doom Patrol would become an HBO Max co-production, with season two airing simultaneously on both streaming services starting on 25 June 2020, and the first season arriving in its entirety from launch. That’s not the only DC content either – the platform also has 40 years of classic DC movies, including all the old Batman and Superman movies.
HBO has also signed a deal with the BBC to get exclusive US streaming rights to a whole range of British shows, including modernDoctor Who(from 2005 onwards), the Office (UK version),Luther,Top Gear, and more. The deal even includes new episodes of Doctor Who going forwards – though they’ll still be broadcast on BBC America first.
That’s not even the biggest exclusive HBO has landed from other creators: that’s probably theentireStudio Ghibli collection. In alandmark deal, HBO has exclusive US streaming rights to all 20 existing Ghibli movies – including Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and My Neighbor Totoro – along with the upcoming The Wind Rises. This is the first time all the Ghibli’s have been available to stream in one place in the US, making the deal even more remarkable – though the rest of the world gets them all on Netflix.
There’s kids TV too, anchored by iconic brand Sesame Street. This started airing on HBO back in 2015, but from 2020 onwards (well, for five years at least)a new dealhas Sesame Street episodes airing exclusively on HBO Max, along with four new Sesame Street shows including an Elmo-led late night talk show parody. Plus, all 50 seasons of Sesame Street’s back catalogue is available to watch, including some that have never been available on-demand before.
In terms of more adult animation, South Park is exclusively available on HBO Max, with all the existing episodes plus new episodes 24 hours after they air, while Rick and Morty is also on the service – though not exclusively.
Movies wise, the platform has the likes of The Lord Of The Rings franchise (including The Hobbit), The Matrix trilogy, classics such as The Wizard Of Oz and Citizen Cane and new blockbusters such as A Star Is Born.
What are the new exclusives on HBO Max?
Whilst all the big films and shows are exciting, HBO has commissioned multiple new projects, and is using HBO Max as an excuse to ramp up its original content ambitions. Here’s some of the biggest things both on the platform right now, and coming in the future:
Available now:
Originals on the way:
What devices is HBO Max available on?
Besides the obvious web browser, HBO Max is available to watch on most smart devices, including iOS, Android, Chromecast, smart TVs, Apple TV, YouTube TV, Xbox One, and PS4, PS5, Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
Find out here whetherHBO Max streams in 4K, and how todownload shows and films from HBO Max.
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.
