HBO Max is bringing the knights of Westeros and the pupils of Hogwarts to India for the first time.
The Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD)-owned global streaming service is launching in the Asian country with Disney-backed JioHotstar as its exclusive distribution partner.
The service launches today and includes Euphoria Season 3, House of the Dragon Season 3 and the upcoming Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, along with Max originals, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios.
This marks the first time all of HBO Max’s content is being offered in one place in India. JioHotstar previously distributed much of the WBD catalog.
“This marks a defining moment in how premium global content is accessed and experienced in India,” said Kevin Vaz, CEO of Entertainment at JioStar, the parent of JioHotstar.
“By bringing HBO Max to JioHotstar, we are creating a unified destination for premium international content and raising the bar for quality content once again. We are combining scale, curation, quality and ease of access. This unlocks a deeper and more immersive entertainment experience for audiences nationwide.”
Until now, WBD has been reticent to launch in India, which is a notoriously tough streaming market. In an interview with Deadline in 2024, James Gibbons, WBD President of Asia Pacific, said India was “the most challenged” Asian market in terms of “scale, share, engagement and profitability.”
Today, Gibbons said: ““India is one of the most vibrant streaming markets globally, and in JioHotstar, we have a partner with unmatched scale and a deep understanding of local audiences. The launch of HBO Max exclusively with JioHotstar marks the next chapter in our long-standing collaboration, enabling us to broaden the reach of our premium brands and franchises, and build deeper connections with fans across the country.”
HBO Max recently completed its European rollout by debuting in the UK and Ireland, but the service’s long-term future isn’t clear. Paramount CEO David Ellison has said he plans to merger Paramount+ with HBO Max if and when the two studios merge.
HBO Max will be offered as an add-on starting at ₹49 (50¢) per month, and includes JioHotstar’s full international content library.
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