Warner Brothers Discovery (WBD) has launched HBO Max in the UK and plans to screen its new Harry Potter series early – at Christmas instead of in 2027. It is part of a flurry of activity, which also includes the early release of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune part 3 in cinemas, also at Christmas (see DCP-Solutions last post for more details). The push to bring out a stack of content comes ahead of the planned takeover by Paramount – the sticking point being the regulatory hurdles the merger now faces.
WBD is hoping the millions it has ploughed into its exclusive Harry Potter series will work its magic for HBO Max and, along with a competitive price of £5.99 a month, help it reach its 6.06 million subscriber forecast target.
Arriving into an increasingly packed market, HBO Max will offer a trio of viewing options: Warner Bros films such as the original Harry Potters and its DC movies with recent Oscar-winning One Battle After Another, shows from its archives including Succession, The Sopranos and The Wire and other television favourites such as Friends, which gained a legion of new fans when it was on Netflix.