Warner Bros Discovery has today confirmed the arrival of streaming platform Max in Australia. The news emanated from, of all places, a resort hotel in Bali. Mediaweek first reported the likelihood of streaming service Max launching in Australia when we spoke with Michael Brooks , GM Australia & New Zealand and managing director, Warner Bros.
International Production Australia . Brooks told us in 2023 that Max could be here soonish, adding “there is no specific timeline for the market launch in Australia however it is not in our plans for 2024”. That market advice was updated just today at the APOS Conference in Bali.
Speaking to delegates from the entertainment industry all over Asia, Singapore-based James Gibbons , president APAC for Warner Bros Discovery, had some news about Max. “ We can confirm we’ll be launching our direct service in Australia in the first half of next year..
.that’s definitely happening. 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 [direct to consumer] space.
” We know there will be plenty of big ticket content from across the major Warner Bros Discovery brands. Including HBO of course for content that might not already be tied up in a rights deal. Speaking to Mediaweek 12 months ago, Brooks gave us some insights into how Max would operate here.
“ If Max launches here, we will also be [making] a lot of content for Max. But we won’t be the only loca.
