Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is set to roll out HBO Max in approximately a dozen countries, primarily in Europe and parts of Asia, come July. This expansion will bring the number of regions offering the streaming service to about 90, thereby speeding up its worldwide growth plan as the platform gets closer to being accessible in 100 markets.
The Hollywood Reporter has discovered that the focus for expansion will be on the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) as well as Albania, Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malta, and Tajikistan.
or simply:
The Hollywood Reporter has found that the new target markets will be the Baltic states and several other countries including Albania, Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malta, and Tajikistan.
Yesterday’s announcement about Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) dividing into two entities – a studios and streaming company and a global networks business – comes just one day after it was made public. This decision follows the April 15 launch of WBD’s streamer in Turkey, where BluTV, acquired by WBD at the end of 2023, expanded its content offerings. Interestingly, earlier this year, their streaming service had already gone live in Australia. So, as a gamer and fan of WBD’s content, I’m eagerly awaiting to see how these changes will impact my streaming experience in the future!
2025 will see more launches, followed by continued ones into 2026, according to WBD. They also mentioned that the momentum behind HBO Max is steadily increasing.
In Q1 2025, our company reported a total of 122.3 million users for its streaming service, marking a gain of 5.3 million subscribers compared to the last quarter.
JB Perrette, CEO and president of Global Streaming & Games at Warner Bros. Discovery, states that the ongoing global growth of HBO Max is contributing significantly to its impressive progress. Twelve more countries are joining now, with more markets added later this year, and launches in Germany, Italy, and the U.K. scheduled for early next year. With each new market, HBO Max strengthens its status as a globally recognized hub for top-notch entertainment.
HBO Max is set to debut in new territories, offering a diverse collection of content that spans from HBO, Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, and original Max productions, among others. Some highlights from their film library include the upcoming “A Minecraft Movie” and the beloved “Harry Potter” films, along with popular series like “The Last of Us”, “The White Lotus”, “The Pitt”, “Peacemaker”, “90 Day Fiancé”, and “Gold Rush”. Classic shows such as “Friends” and “The Big Bang Theory” will also be available, in addition to upcoming series like “Task” and “IT: Welcome to Derry”.
Starting next month in certain countries, sports offerings will expand on HBO Max to include major sporting events such as tennis Grand Slam tournaments, cycling’s Grand Tours, and significant winter sports competitions. The specific rights for these events may differ among countries.
In the upcoming expansion of its services, HBO Max offers two subscription options: the Standard Plan that enables simultaneous streaming on two devices in full HD quality, with up to 30 downloadable titles for offline viewing, and the Premium Plan which supports streaming on four devices in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Atmos sound (where available) and allows up to 100 downloads for offline use.
The latest updates about July’s market performance indicate that Europe has become a significant driving force for the growth of the streaming service over the past year, following its initial improvements. Europe is now the region showing the fastest growth in Max (soon to be known as HBO Max) subscriptions and is the largest market for the streamer outside the U.S., according to reports from reliable sources.
It is known that over 2.5 billion hours of content have been watched on the WBD service in Europe since its debut, with weekly and monthly viewing time increasing. In the wider region of Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), streaming hours for sports on Max and Discovery+ are reported to have grown by 14% compared to the same period last year during the first quarter of 2025. The Australian Open was the most-watched sporting event on the platform in EMEA since the Paris Olympics.
Among the popular shows on Max in Europe are House of the Dragon, The Penguin, The Last of Us, Dune: Prophecy, and The White Lotus. Interestingly, it’s been reported that most new subscribers have flocked to The White Lotus, which one source claims is Max’s “most sought-after title” in the region.
Among the most popular movies streamed in this area by our favorite broadcaster are “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” “Dune Chapter Two,” “Mad Max: Fury Road – The Wasteland Saga,” and “Godzilla vs. Kong: The Rise of the New Empire.
Besides its blockbuster films from Hollywood, the streaming service has also excelled in local original productions. According to The Hollywood Reporter, about 70% of all subscribers in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) have watched at least one local production, contributing to over 15% of the total initial views on the platform in this region. Poland takes the lead, as four out of the top five most-watched local productions originate from there. In order of popularity, these are reportedly “The Eastern Gate”, “The Thaw”, “When No One Sees Us” (from Spain), “X-rated Queen”, and “A Decent Man”.
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2025-06-10 12:24