APOS: Warner Bros. Discovery Sets Max Rollout Dates in Australia, Several Asian Markets

Warner Bros. Discovery has set target launch dates for its Max streaming service in Australia and several key Asian markets.

On the day that Max launched in Japan via local partner U-Next, James Gibbons, president of APAC for Warner Bros. Discovery, revealed that the company is looking to roll out Max direct-to-consumers in Australia in the first half of 2025. Max will debut in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan by the end of 2024, with Max replacing the existing HBO Go services.

As to specific dates for each territory, Gibbons was a little vague but added that South East Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan will see Max launch in the “coming weeks and months.” Gibbons made the announcement at the APOS media, telecoms and entertainment industry conference in Bali, Indonesia.

With Max officially available in Japan via U-Next, Gibbons elaborated more on the deal. He said Max will live within the U-Next platform for no additional cost for consumers. The deal will also be a “two-way street” with U-Next taking Max’s content, but also Max taking some of U-Next’s Japanese content, including anime, for their global platform.

Pertaining to local production in Japan in light of the U-Next deal, Gibbons said WBD would continue to invest in the country, and look to increase spend on anime production after finding success with anime adaptations of some of the company’s DC properties, including the recent Suicide Squad Isekai series. Gibbons added that under the studio model, the Japanese content would be made with Max in mind as the streaming platform but would also be available to other players.

Despite launching in the U.S. in May 2020, Max, previously HBO Max, has had a slow global direct-to-consumer rollout due to local market licensing and partnerships for HBO content, particularly in Asia and Australia. Gibbons added that WBD has adopted a “flexible and diverse” strategy with its launch plans for Max. “Our goal is to reach the fan base and find a route to market for the fan base,” Gibbons said, saying where it makes sense to work with a local partner, as is the case with Japan, the company will continue to do so.