Sky boss issues update on future of House of the Dragon and other HBO shows as US streaming app prepares for UK launch
A SENIOR Sky boss has issued an update on the future of hit US shows including House of the Dragon that are currently exclusive to the broadcaster.
US TV network HBO, which also makes series like The Last of Us, wants to launch its Max streaming service in the UK.
The White Lotus and Succession, as well as classics like Sex and the City and The Sopranos are among HBO’s lucrative roster of shows.
The firm has had a long-running agreement with Sky that keeps HBO’s biggest shows on Sky channels and its sister streaming service NOW.
While Max has launched in a number of countries outside the US already, the deal with Sky has prevented it from coming to the UK.
But the current agreement ends in 2026 which could pave the way for Max’s long-awaited arrival.
The president of Warner Bros Discovery International – which owns HBO – Gerhard Zeiler previously said that “we want, we need to, and we will launch Max” in three countries including the UK.
But he also hinted that there could still be some form of partnership with Sky alongside Max.
Now Sky Studios CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz has spoken out about the matter.
“Yes, Max will launch in UK, we all know that,” Frot-Coutaz said at the Edinburgh TV Festival, according to Cord Busters.
“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.”
The positive sign could signal an arrangement similar to Paramount+.
Sky offers full access to Paramount+ for those who subscribe to Sky Cinema.
However, it does seem that HBO shows may no longer be exclusive to Sky once the current deal between the two companies expires.
Recent reports claim the Warner Bros Discovery has been in talks with Virgin Media, EE and Amazon about Max’s launch too.
Meanwhile, Frot-Coutaz also highlighted the importance of Sky’s own originals.
“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 added.
“The homegrown Sky Originals that we commission are incredibly popular with our customer base, so for context, that’s worth bearing in mind.”
Will viewers care for another streaming app?
Analysis by Millie Turner, Senior Technology & Science Reporter for The Sun.
Max – formerly HBO Max – is finally coming to the UK.
And while Warner Bros. will have certainly mapped out its potential consumer market across the country and the rest of Europe – will Brits really buy into another streaming app?
Following the announcement, social media – unexpectedly – didn’t flood with viewers exuding relief and excitement that their long wait was over.
Sentiment towards streaming apps is growing more sour worldwide, but particularly in the UK, as consumers feel ‘nickel and dimed’ into price hikes.
Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video all either increased their subscription costs last year, or brought previously free features behind a paywall.
That, alongside a Netflix-induced trend to block account sharing among family and friends, has left consumers feeling either ripped off – or that they need to trim down the number of apps they watch.
Plenty of social media users have vowed to stop paying for another streaming service, and are instead hopping from one to the next with monthly memberships.
Where this decision will leave Sky and Now TV is also in question, but it could make their offerings less attractive to consumers.
“It isn’t until 2026, but I am certainly not paying £6 a month for Sky’s own content,” one viewer wrote on X (previously Twitter) following the Warner Bros. announcement.
Do you have room in your life for another app?