Sky TV remains one of the best and most popular ways to beam all the latest television channels, TV shows and movies into your front room, but a significant change is coming soon that could affect how you access the latest small screen entertainment.Sky is able to show premium US content from its channel partner HBO thanks to a longstanding partnership, meaning UK Sky subscribers can tune in on-demand to the likes of Succession, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, The Last of Us, Game of Thrones and Curb Your Enthusiasm, as well as umpteen blockbuster films.All you have to do is make sure your Sky package includes Sky Atlantic and Sky Cinema.But this deal is in for a big shakeup soon as Warner Bros.Discovery, which owns HBO, is aggressively launching its streaming service globally.Once called HBO Max, it’s now simply known as Max.
In December, Sky announced it had extended its partnership with Warner Bros.Discovery “until early 2026”, when Max is due to launch in the UK.Now, Trusted Reviews is reporting that Max will be available in the UK and Ireland from April 2026, meaning the year-long countdown is on until the look of Sky Atlantic, Sky Cinema and how Sky customers access their favourite US-made content is changed for good.What’s more, Sky confirmed in December that after Max launches, Sky and NOW TV customers will “benefit from more content at no extra cost through bundled access to the streaming service that will exclusively feature new HBO Original and Max Original shows and more.The White Lotus season 3 trailer on HBO Max “Existing franchises and their future series will continue on Sky Atlantic for Sky customers, with pay 1 movies to be shown on Sky Cinema.”Max content will simply become available at no additional cost to subscribers, with Sky customers continuing to access it via the Sky Atlantic and Cinema brands, even after April 2026.This leaves Max open to exist as a siloed streaming service to compete with Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV Plus.The distinct Max app and branding means it can be sold as a competitor to these services in the UK as it is in the US, and should be available for those without Sky to sign up to a monthly subscription.“Our new agreement will continue Warner Bros.
Discovery’s long-standing collaboration with Sky and deepen our relationship across distribution and now the bundling of Max,” said Andrew Georgiou, President & Managing Director for WBD UK & Ireland and WBD Sports Europe.“This will enable Max immediately at launch to be available to millions of passionate video subscribers, and separately be available to the more than 20 million other broadband households in the territories through Max direct to consumer and other partnerships.” Trending SUBSCRIBE Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you.This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding.You can unsubscribe at any time.
Read our Privacy PolicySky also said NOW Entertainment subscribers will get “bundled access to the ad-supported version of Max”.