Sky & HBO reach new deal.

[Ellie_TV]

This is good news:

https://www.skygroup.sky/article/sky-uk-ireland-and-warner-bros-discovery-announce-new-distribution-... 

Sky have retained access to all the HBO series after the Max app launches in the UK in early 2026. Sky & NowTV customers will get access to the ad-supported version of Max as part of their existing subscription. 

Presumably we'll be able to pay more to upgrade to 4K/Atmos etc, similar to the Netflix model. 

[Chrisee]

Suspect you are right @Ellie_TV Sky bundling the ad supported level and customers paying a premium for the higher tiers if thry want them seems a common model.

[Super+Anthony]

Sounds great. 

Just cause I am neurodivergent and there is a lot of information on the link. In a quick sentence or two, what will it mean that current customers on stream etc will get next year?

[Chrisee]

@Super+Anthony a lot of the HBO content currently on Sky Atlantic will switchto being in the new Max app once that launches in 2026. Sky Q and Stream/Glass customers will get the basic ad supported tier for the app at no extra cost.

[Super+Anthony]

Great thank you. It looks like we also getting new things 2025, is this right? @Chrisee You very helpful thank you

[oj01]

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@Chrisee wrote:

@Super+Anthony a lot of the HBO content currently on Sky Atlantic will switchto being in the new Max app once that launches in 2026. Sky Q and Stream/Glass customers will get the basic ad supported tier for the app at no extra cost.

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I read it that existing series on Sky Atlantic will remain on Sky Atlantic .

[Timelord2018]

House Of The Dragon and The Last Of Us weren't going to leave in 2026 anyway looking at the dates, I'd expect them to leave eventually

It was reported by Deadline a year ago, Sky have life of series rights to House Of The Dragon on a non exclusive basis.

[MarkGoldsmith]

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@oj01 wrote:

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@Chrisee wrote:

@Super+Anthony a lot of the HBO content currently on Sky Atlantic will switchto being in the new Max app once that launches in 2026. Sky Q and Stream/Glass customers will get the basic ad supported tier for the app at no extra cost.

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I read it that existing series on Sky Atlantic will remain on Sky Atlantic .

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Yeah i read it as the same. Also would make sense that HBO content would continue on linear channels as the deal has included extending the carriage rights of WDB owned channels like Cartoon Network, which would broadcast kids content available on Max.

[CoffeeDrinker]

@Ellie_TV Thanks for posting. Just hoped over here from reading WBD's press release on a US tech website.

Reading through both Sky's press release and WBD's own, this does (prima facie) look to be good news. If nothing else, it assures future access to Warner & HBO content through Sky. The inclusive ad-supproted tier of Max might hopefully allow for a Netflix style 'pay the difference' to an ad-free, 4K & HDR tier.

The wording of the statements doesn't make it clear if SKy Cinema still gets first streaming/broadcast dibs on Warner Bros. films (so incouded in Sky's UHD & Atmos add-on), share the rights with Max (content appears on tboth services) or Max has these rights and a seperate Max pay tier is needed for 4K. Details to come in the future I'm sure.

For now, this is welcome news. For a non-sports fan like myself, HBO/Sky Atlantic & first streaming/broadcast runs in 4K of Warner Bros. form a large part of Sky's appeal - our equivanet of Premiership rights for sports fans - and why I'm happy with my subscription costs. That this will continue into 2026 and beyond bodes extremely well. Just need that Paramount+ 4K tier now.

[Ellie_TV]

The wording isn't definitive but it certainly sounds like Sky Atlantic will continue as an ad-supported channel beyond 2026. 

Anything released prior to the launch of Max in the UK will continue to be available via Sky's on demand library (initially at least) and any new series, released after the Max app launch, will likely be available on demand only via the new Max app. 

What this likely means is that we'll finally be able to get HBO shows in full 4K with Dolby Vision and Atmos at their native 24fps rather than the current speeded up HLG conversions we get from Sky. This is a very good thing. 

If Sky start to offer good Premium bundles with Netflix, Paramount+ and Max in 4K with Dolby Vision/Atmos, then they will become much more enticing to purists. A new Stream puck with proper frame rate matching would also be very welcome. 

It's not mentioned whether those on a Sky Essential subscription will get access to all Max content or not. It has a more limited channel selection than Sky Ultimate but does have Sky Atlantic, so perhaps those on the cheaper Essential subscription will only be able to watch live on Sky Atlantic and must upgrade to watch on demand on Max? 

Some interesting times ahead... 

[Timelord2018]

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@oj01 wrote:

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@Chrisee wrote:

@Super+Anthony a lot of the HBO content currently on Sky Atlantic will switchto being in the new Max app once that launches in 2026. Sky Q and Stream/Glass customers will get the basic ad supported tier for the app at no extra cost.

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I read it that existing series on Sky Atlantic will remain on Sky Atlantic .

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Existing franchises and  their future series 

[Timelord2018]

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@Ellie_TV wrote:

It's not mentioned whether those on a Sky Essential subscription will get access to all Max content or not.

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Most likely the Max ad tier (it's €5.99 in Europe) replaces Discovery+ in Essentials bundle 

From Wikipedia 

"

In summer 2024, Max launched in 25 European countries, integrating content from Eurosport and Discovery+.[29] Consequently, countries offering both HBO Max (now Max) and Discovery+ stopped accepting new Discovery+ subscriptions and renewals, with no new content being added to the platform, redirecting existing users to Max.

Shortly after, Discovery+ permanently closed in Spain[30], and the Netherlands[31] on December 9, 2024, and will cease operations in Brazil on January 31, 2025[32][33], and in Türkiye during spring of 2025[34].

[gerdav]

If Max is replacing Discovery+, I wonder if a TNT Sports subscription will automatically grant you the premium tier.

[Timelord2018]

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@gerdav wrote:

If Max is replacing Discovery+, I wonder if a TNT Sports subscription will automatically grant you the premium tier.

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Max.Sports add On can be added to any of Entertainment tiers , Basic with ads, Standard or Premium

If they is Max Premium+ TNT Sports plan available via Max itself it won't be cheap 

In Spain the MAX Premium+DAZN plan is €44.99

[Super+Anthony]

As we get discovery plus premium now if one is on certain packages, will this be carried forward... here's hoping