MAX Streaming Service Coming to Australia in 2025: What to Expect

Warner Bros Discovery will launch the Max streaming service in Australia by mid-2025, reshaping the local market. Learn how it could affect Foxtel.

Warner Bros Discovery has finally confirmed plans to launch its Max streaming platform in Australia by mid-2025, marking a pivotal development in the nation’s competitive streaming market.

The news was revealed by James Gibbons, President of Warner Bros Discovery for the Asia-Pacific region, during his presentation at the APOS conference in Bali—a significant gathering for the media, telecommunications, and entertainment sectors across the Asia-Pacific. Gibbons confirmed the company’s intentions to bring the service, formerly known as HBO Max, directly to Australian audiences.

“We can also confirm we’ll be launching our direct service in Australia in the first half of next year; that’s definitely happening,”

Gibbons stated. He emphasised the company’s long-standing partnership with Foxtel but noted that venturing into the direct-to-consumer (DTC) market represented the logical next step.

“We have had a longstanding and really important relationship with Foxtel and I think the time has come for us to expand that into the DTC space,” he added.

This impending launch has raised concerns about the future of Foxtel’s existing content partnership with Warner Bros Discovery.

In March 2023, the Foxtel Group secured a broad rights agreement, which provided access to Warner Bros’ film and television library, including HBO programming, Max Originals, and content from Warner Bros Television. The agreement also extended to a range of channels distributed on Foxtel’s platforms, such as Discovery, Animal Planet, CNN International, and Cartoon Network.

However, this deal is set to expire in early 2025, around the same time as the Max platform’s anticipated launch in Australia.

Foxtel has already faced challenges with the reduction of available content in recent years. Programming from providers such as Disney, BBC, Nickelodeon, FX, MTV, E!, and BeIN Sports has gradually been removed from the service.

The potential loss of Warner Bros Discovery content could further strain Foxtel’s offerings, especially for its streaming platform BINGE.

Some industry commentators view this development as a significant blow to Foxtel, which has struggled to retain a comprehensive content library amidst increasing competition from global streaming giants.

A spokesperson for Foxtel addressed the situation, reaffirming the company’s ongoing relationship with Warner Bros Discovery.

“Warner Bros Discovery is a long-standing strategic partner of the Foxtel Group. As we have long said, optionality remains at the heart of our partnership,”

the spokesperson stated, suggesting that discussions around the future of their content arrangement are still evolving.