US media giant Warner Bros Discovery has issued an update on its plans to launch HBO across the pond that will affect Sky viewers.
HBO is responsible for huge hits including Game of Thrones, The White Lotus and The Last Of Us.
The network’s content has been a major part of Sky Atlantic since it burst onto screens in 2011 with an exclusive deal.
But that arrangement comes to an end next year, with owner Warner Bros Discovery planning to launch HBO Max in countries where Sky operates once existing deals expire.
The firm announced the move this year saying that it would happen in early 2026.
Now we’re seeing more exact dates coming out.
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HBO Max is set to go live in Austria, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein and Switzerland first on January 13.
The UK and Ireland launch date is still not clear.
But according to The Hollywood Reporter it’ll be happen in late March.
The arrival of HBO Max will mean yet another streaming service on the UK scene.
For Sky customers, it won’t result in the loss of their favourite shows on Sky Atlantic.
Favourites that have already started on the channel, such as House of the Dragon, will continue to air on Sky Atlantic.
And those agreed before the current arrangement ends between the two companies will be shown as well, like new Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
But new shows released after that will be exclusive to HBO Max.
This includes the highly-anticipated Harry Potter series scheduled for release in 2027.
As part of a new deal, Sky customers will get access to HBO Max at no extra cost.
However, this will be the plan with adverts and they’ll need to pay more to remove them.
