HBO MAX coming to NZ .- Sky to drop HBO Max content from June

Forums › Online streaming services › HBO MAX coming to NZ .- Sky to drop HBO Max content from June

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Earbanean

1158 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 395

#3482970 22-Apr-2026 10:40

Has anyone seen anything around how the HBO Max NZ content will relate to the US content? We currently subscribe to the US version and really like it. From what I've seen in the media, a large number of same big name content titles will be available in the NZ version. I wondered if there are any exceptions to that, or whether they've wound down their NZ agreements (Sky) so that they can launch the whole catalogue on day 1 in NZ. Whereas, Netflix for example, has material differences in its catalogues in different countries.

geek3001

303 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 439

ID Verified

Subscriber

#3483303 23-Apr-2026 09:47

Nothing seen yet.

I wish all the streaming providers would just join the rest of us in the current century, cease using geographic / regional rules for what they provide and just simply open their full catalogue to every one every where, and charge a fair fee for that access.

To me, that would also help to end piracy problems.

MikeAqua

8203 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3957

#3483313 23-Apr-2026 10:05

What happens when HBO and Netflix are merged?

Mike

geek3001

303 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 439

ID Verified

Subscriber

#3483315 23-Apr-2026 10:14

MikeAqua:

What happens when HBO and Netflix are merged?

As time goes on, what's to stop one entity acquiring all the others such that there is only one huuuuuuge studio making content in the future.

Senecio

2881 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3199

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3483319 23-Apr-2026 10:33

geek3001:

Nothing seen yet.

I wish all the streaming providers would just join the rest of us in the current century, cease using geographic / regional rules for what they provide and just simply open their full catalogue to every one every where, and charge a fair fee for that access.

To me, that would also help to end piracy problems.

The streaming providers would love this too, but it’s not up to them. The content owners dish out the distribution rights per region and if someone else bought the distribution rights in that region then you have no lawful right to stream it in that region.

For this to work they would have to sell distribution rights globally but that just introduces different problems. The cost would be prohibitive and it would rule out smaller local operators like Neon or even FTA services from securing rights.

openmedia

3497 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 902

Trusted

#3483320 23-Apr-2026 10:48

geek3001:

MikeAqua:

What happens when HBO and Netflix are merged?

As time goes on, what's to stop one entity acquiring all the others such that there is only one huuuuuuge studio making content in the future.

That is probably HBO and Paramount+ now.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

geek3001

303 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 439

ID Verified

Subscriber

#3483321 23-Apr-2026 10:51

Senecio:

geek3001:

Nothing seen yet.

I wish all the streaming providers would just join the rest of us in the current century, cease using geographic / regional rules for what they provide and just simply open their full catalogue to every one every where, and charge a fair fee for that access.

To me, that would also help to end piracy problems.

The streaming providers would love this too, but it’s not up to them. The content owners dish out the distribution rights per region and if someone else bought the distribution rights in that region then you have no lawful right to stream it in that region.

For this to work they would have to sell distribution rights globally but that just introduces different problems. The cost would be prohibitive and it would rule out smaller local operators like Neon or even FTA services from securing rights.

Fair call, however in the case of our local legacy FTA, Pay TV and streaming provider, the best they can provide is HD 1080 picture resolution and mostly basic 2.0 audio.

I'm being very blunt, however I would far rather see the content owners and overseas streamers sort out their relationships, and tell the legacy providers to bring their delivery systems up to 4K video and 5.1 audio, so that modern content can be viewed the way it was produced, or lose the rights to show it.

I am hoping the arrival of HBO Max might allow the re-watching and more enjoyment of some content at higher quality than has been available to us in NZ previously.

richms

29251 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10361

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3483324 23-Apr-2026 11:00

geek3001:

Fair call, however in the case of our local legacy FTA, Pay TV and streaming provider, the best they can provide is HD 1080 picture resolution and mostly basic 2.0 audio.

I'm being very blunt, however I would far rather see the content owners and overseas streamers sort out their relationships, and tell the legacy providers to bring their delivery systems up to 4K video and 5.1 audio, so that modern content can be viewed the way it was produced, or lose the rights to show it.

Few years back, that would be acceptable but now they need to ensure that its a HDR, native frame rate and atmos capable platform. Seen things on skys one that had clearly had a stop thru some interlaced part of a workflow and that was not at 60FPS despite being a US sourced sport.

Richard rich.ms

MikeAqua

8203 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3957

#3483395 23-Apr-2026 12:37

geek3001:

MikeAqua:

What happens when HBO and Netflix are merged?

As time goes on, what's to stop one entity acquiring all the others such that there is only one huuuuuuge studio making content in the future.

To be clear the NF-HBO merger isn't a hypothetical, it's happening this year.

But to answer your question ... agencies in other countries like our Commerce Commission. I'm not sure whether or not anything could be done domestically in NZ.

Mike

old3eyes

9170 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1369

Subscriber

#3483561 23-Apr-2026 16:04

I thought that Warner Bros Discovery was broke in this part of the world and bleeding red ink and sold their lot here to Sky for $1 who still has the same channels and programs but here they are launching a new Pay TV service. They must still think that there's money to be made here.

Regards,

Old3eyes

snj

327 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 240

#3483593 23-Apr-2026 19:41

MikeAqua:

To be clear the NF-HBO merger isn't a hypothetical, it's happening this year.

But to answer your question ... agencies in other countries like our Commerce Commission. I'm not sure whether or not anything could be done domestically in NZ.

Netflix backs away from its offer to buy Warner Bros | RNZ News

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

openmedia

3497 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 902

Trusted

#3483717 24-Apr-2026 13:38

snj:

MikeAqua:

To be clear the NF-HBO merger isn't a hypothetical, it's happening this year.

But to answer your question ... agencies in other countries like our Commerce Commission. I'm not sure whether or not anything could be done domestically in NZ.

Netflix backs away from its offer to buy Warner Bros | RNZ News

Currently it looks like Paramount+ will buy HBO

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

snj

327 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 240

#3483721 24-Apr-2026 13:43

openmedia:

snj:

Netflix backs away from its offer to buy Warner Bros | RNZ News

Currently it looks like Paramount+ will buy HBO

According to a bit I saw today, it looks like the Warner shareholders just approved the takeover by Paramount.

sen8or

1947 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1449

#3500089 4-Jun-2026 08:19

So the pricing and launch date has been released for HBO Max in NZ - June 16

https://www.hbomax.com/nz/en

Both monthly and yearly available -

$ 10.99 for standard / $ 15.99 for Premium ($5/mth discount for first 6 months)

$ 109.99 / $ 159.99 for yearly ($ 50 discount for 12 months)

Fairly sharp pricing, $ 13.33/mth for premium if paying the full 12 months, we can only hope that the catalog is extensive enough.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4