Will your favourite HBO shows disappear from Sky soon? Not so fast, says Sky Studios CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz.
Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival last week, Frot-Coutaz offered some hope for Sky customers worried about losing access to hit series like House of The Dragon and The Last of Us.
While confirming that Max (the streaming service that replaced HBO Max) – will indeed launch in the UK, Frot-Coutaz made it clear that “there’s no scenario where Max won’t be accessible to Sky customers”.
This is despite the fact that Warner Bros. Discovery plans to launch Max as a standalone service in the UK by 2026, once its current deal with Sky ends.
Max’s Long Road to the UK: A Recap
HBO Max – now known as Max – is a popular streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery that features content from HBO (the critically acclaimed premium cable network), as well as content from other platforms – DC, Warner and others.
So, in addition to HBO classics like The Sopranos and Game of Thrones (as well as its spinoff House of the Dragon), Max features newer hits like The Last Of Us, Succession, True Detective, and many others.
HBO Max is now available as a standalone streaming service in multiple countries around the world, but its journey to British screens has been anything but straightforward.
For years, UK viewers have eagerly awaited the arrival of the streaming service, but the path has been blocked by a complex web of licensing agreements between Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and Sky.
These deals, which have been in place since 2010 and extended in 2019, have made Sky the exclusive home for HBO’s critically acclaimed productions in the UK, as well as a host of Warner Bros. films and DC shows.
But earlier this year, during WBD’s Q4 2023 earnings call, CEO David Zaslav finally confirmed plans to launch Max in the UK in 2026.
Zaslav emphasised the strategic importance of the UK market, expressing enthusiasm for Max’s growth potential in the region – but he also highlighted the Sky deal:
“[Sky] is and has been over the years, a great partner to us in many ways and will continue to be a great partner to us.
But having our own direct-to-consumer product in those markets is a core strategic initiative of ours, and we’re already in business aggressively in those markets.”
The plot thickened in May when Gerhard Zeiler, president of Warner Bros. Discovery International, spoke at the MoffettNathanson media conference.
Zeiler doubled down on WBD’s commitment to bringing Max to the UK, Germany, and Italy, stating, “We want, we need to, and we will launch Max in these three markets.”
However, Zeiler also hinted at the possibility of maintaining a content partnership with Sky, suggesting that the two companies might explore new collaboration models even after Max’s launch.
This raised questions about what the future might hold for Sky customers and HBO content.
Sky’s Perspective: Frot-Coutaz Speaks Out
Fast forward to last week’s Edinburgh TV Festival, where Sky Studios CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz offered a fresh perspective on the situation.
“Yes, Max will launch in UK, we all know that,” Frot-Coutaz acknowledged.
However, she went on to deliver a reassuring message: “But we’re both a platform and a broadcast business, so there are different scenarios as to how the partnership evolves.
“But there’s no scenario where Max won’t be accessible to Sky customers.”
This statement suggests that Sky is actively working on solutions to ensure its customers retain access to HBO content, even after Max launches as a standalone service in the UK.
While the exact nature of this future partnership remains unclear, Frot-Coutaz’s words hint at a potential arrangement similar to Sky’s deal with Paramount+, which is available to all Sky Cinema subscribers at no extra cost.
It’s also worth noting that some HBO shows will continue to air on Sky even after the current deal with Warner Bros. Discovery expires.
According to Deadline, series such as House of the Dragon and the recently acquired Penguin TV series starring Colin Farrell are under different agreements, ensuring their continued presence on Sky’s platform.
This arrangement suggests that the future relationship between Sky and HBO content may be more nuanced than a simple “all or nothing” scenario.
It’s possible we could see a mixed model, with some HBO shows becoming available through both Sky and Max.
However, Frot-Coutaz also took the opportunity to emphasise the importance of Sky’s original content:
“The other thing I would say is that, while we all love the big HBO shows, only three of those series are in the list of Sky’s top 20 shows,” she revealed.
“The homegrown Sky Originals that we commission are incredibly popular with our customer base, so for context, that’s worth bearing in mind.”
What This Means for Sky and Its Customers
The impending arrival of Max in the UK presents a mixed bag for Sky and its subscribers.
While Frot-Coutaz’s assurances suggest continued access to HBO content, the landscape is set to change significantly in late 2025 or early 2026.
Sky may lose its exclusivity on HBO shows, potentially diminishing its unique selling point in the UK market, and the value of its flagship TV channel, Sky Atlantic.
There’s also the question of costs. If Sky has to pay a premium to retain HBO content, these expenses might trickle down to subscribers.
This could be particularly challenging if Max offers a more affordable, standalone streaming service for subscribers to sign up for and cancel without a long-term contract.
While some flagship HBO series will remain on Sky due to separate agreements, the future of new HBO shows on the platform is uncertain: Sky might end up with only a partial HBO library, which could frustrate long-time subscribers, or with Max being offered as a “bonus” add-on.
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