Max Streaming Service Launches In Australia

Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max streaming service has now officially launched in Australia. The service went online this morning and marks the last of the big players in the streaming service space to launch in Australia.

Before this time, HBO and much of the content from Max were tied to local cable service Foxtel and their SVOD app called Binge. Shows currently streaming on Binge, like the current seasons of “The White Lotus” and “The Pitt”, will continue both there and on Max for the moment. One exception is “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” which will remain oddly exclusive to Binge until the end of season in November.

HBO shows from this point onwards, such as the second seasons of “The Last of Us” or “The Rehearsal” both launching next month, will now be exclusive to the Max streaming service unless some existing arrangement prevents it. Current Foxtel subscribers can access the Max ‘Basic with Ads’ option at no additional cost, but there is no discount for them for the ad-free option which runs at $17.99 per month now and jumps to $21.99 per month from April 30th.

In addition, the library catalogue of HBO appears to have already shifted over with many titles that were on Binge now moved to Max. That includes adult-animated series “Harley Quinn” which wrapped its fifth season only the other week. Some other titles currently on other services are expected to follow in the coming months.

Whereas Binge never promoted its film library much, Max is pushing its TCM hub hard with the new service with a bunch of classic Warner Bros. Pictures films all being promoted at launch.

Binge still has content from other sources, most notably NBCUniversal whose content deal with the streamer is rumored to be up for renewal later this year. But the HBO & Max contract has been its crown jewel with many wondering what that service will promote in the coming months beyond some local releases and sporting efforts.

Though Australia got started relatively late in the streaming game, Netflix not officially launching until 2015, it has quickly made up for it with robust adoption of SVOD services which now also include Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+, Stan, Binge, Paramount+, Kayo, MUBI, AMC+, Acorn, Britbox, Crunchyroll, Shudder, MGM+, Lionsgate+, Hayu, DocPlay, Optus Sport and more.

Actors like Bella Ramsey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Kaitlyn Dever, Gabriel Luna, Jeffrey Wright, Natasha Rothwell, Isabela Merced and Leslie Bibb have arrived in Sydney ahead of the official launch event at the State Theatre for the Max streaming service on Wednesday night.

Source: Max

The post Max Streaming Service Launches In Australia appeared first on Dark Horizons.