What you need to know
- WarnerMedia announced the next major expansion for HBO Max.
- The streaming service will arrive in 15 European countries this March.
- The announcement comes as AT&T spins off WarnerMedia ahead of Discovery Inc. merger.
HBO Max has been a staple of the pandemic, bringing us plenty of old and new movies and shows that have kept us entertained while stuck at home. Now, more people will be able to enjoy it as WarnerMedia reveals a second wave of European launches.
On February 1, WarnerMedia announced that HBO Max will arrive in 15 additional European countries. This will bring its total availability up to 61 countries after two major expansions throughout 2021, continuing the streaming service's staged rollout.
The following countries will be able to access HBO Max starting March 8:
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- The Czech Republic
- Hungary
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- The Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
WarnerMedia also announced that the streaming service would continue its rollout in six more countries later this year, including Greece, Turkey, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, and Lithuania. However, WarnerMedia did not give a specific date.
HBO Max has quickly risen in popularity over the pandemic thanks to immediate streaming access to new theatrical releases, including films like "The Matrix Resurrections." The service is available on a variety of devices, including the best Android phones and the PS5, and now has a cheaper ad-supported plan to better compete with rival platforms like Hulu.
The news of its expansion comes right on the heels of AT&T announcing that it's spinning off WarnerMedia for $43 billion ahead of the planned merger with Discovery Inc., which was announced last year. The merger is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022 and will allow the combined media companies to better compete with Netflix and Disney+.
Who needs movie theaters?
HBO Max is a great streaming service that gives you access to tons of popular movies and TV shows. You can even check out many of the latest theatrical releases, and it supports 4K streaming.
