Not surprisingly, but there are a couple of articles doing the rounds today confirming that HBO Max won’t be available in the UK (and Germany amongst others) before 2025 at the earliest, because of the deal they currently have with Sky, which they are not seeking to renew.
Honestly, I'm not really happy about the unavailability of the service in the UK due to Warner Media's current deal with Sky since I think Sky should've revised the deal that would allow the service to be available there as I plan on subscribing the service eventually and I don't want to wait for four years in order to get it.
But what incentive would Sky have to do that? They entered into an agreement with Warner to supply them with HBO’s programming in good faith and agreed to pay a particular price based on them being the exclusive provider of that programming. Now if Warner were to approach them with some cash to buy them out of the agreement, that would be a different matter but I’m not sure they feel that level of urgency about it.
Honestly, I'm not really happy about the unavailability of the service in the UK due to Warner Media's current deal with Sky since I think Sky should've revised the deal that would allow the service to be available there as I plan on subscribing the service eventually and I don't want to wait for four years in order to get it.
Sky revising the deal at a detriment to themselves? If WarnerMedia were happy to sit at the table with them and sign that deal, then they are obligated to see out that output agreement.
I'm sure if Jason Kilar was in post at that time, they may have gone another way but in 2019, WarnerMedia specifically stated (at the HBO Max investor launch) the Sky deal was for 'predictability and stability' so at that time the renewal (and those eventually with Bell Media and Foxtel) was entirely strategic.
Presumably it's in the interests of Sky or Now customers for this not to be available in the UK? As a Now subscriber, the HBO content is certainly a big selling point, but there's quite a lot of other stuff I watch on it and I don't much fancy having to pay twice.
Presumably it's in the interests of Sky or Now customers for this not to be available in the UK? As a Now subscriber, the HBO content is certainly a big selling point, but there's quite a lot of other stuff I watch on it and I don't much fancy having to pay twice.
None of these things ever seem to be in the interests of customers to be honest.
But what incentive would Sky have to do that? They entered into an agreement with Warner to supply them with HBO’s programming in good faith and agreed to pay a particular price based on them being the exclusive provider of that programming. Now if Warner were to approach them with some cash to buy them out of the agreement, that would be a different matter but I’m not sure they feel that level of urgency about it.
I know but I'm just not happy about the news since I will admit that I can't handle the four-year wait for this to arrive in the UK.
Honestly, I'm not really happy about the unavailability of the service in the UK due to Warner Media's current deal with Sky since I think Sky should've revised the deal that would allow the service to be available there as I plan on subscribing the service eventually and I don't want to wait for four years in order to get it.
Sky revising the deal at a detriment to themselves? If WarnerMedia were happy to sit at the table with them and sign that deal, then they are obligated to see out that output agreement.
Aren't all HBO originals are on Now TV? Just get a subscription to that. And isn't pretty much all the non-HBO content on HBO Max available in the UK already anyway?
I'm not entirely sure you're missing out on anything much with HBO Max not being in the UK. Originals are on Sky / Now TV and the original movies like The Witches etc have come via cinema to home before going on to the usual ways you can buy content.
Aren't all HBO originals are on Now TV? Just get a subscription to that. And isn't pretty much all the non-HBO content on HBO Max available in the UK already anyway?
There are a few exceptions like Search Party - a former TBS show that was renewed by HBO Max for 3 additional series.
Aren't all HBO originals are on Now TV? Just get a subscription to that. And isn't pretty much all the non-HBO content on HBO Max available in the UK already anyway?
There are a few exceptions like Search Party - a former TBS show that was renewed by HBO Max for 3 additional series.
Yep, how that stuff is being distributed internationally is a pretty mixed bag with shows such as Search Party (I presume) retaining any existing international deals when it was a TBS show (Though I'm guessing All4 have dumped it now?)
The stuff from HBO Max (so far) on Sky tends to encompass Max original content produced by Warner Bros such as Expecting Amy, Raised By Wolves, The Flight Attendant and Class Action Park. The Max Original movies (originally WarnerMax) are distributed by Warner Bros pictures hence why things like Superintelligence and American Pickle went theatrical here and will most likely go to Sky as part of the theatrical output deal.
Some shows like LoveLife and Made For Love are being sold internationally by other studios (Lionsgate the former and Paramount the latter).