HBO Max's European Expansion Rides Shotgun with Amazon

Warner Bros. Discovery has launched HBO Max in eight new European countries, leaning on a key distribution deal with Amazon Prime Video to accelerate its rollout. The move expands the service into Germany, Italy, and Austria by making it an add-on channel for Prime subscribers, pitting it directly against rivals like Netflix and Disney+.

• The partner playbook: The Amazon deal extends a playbook WBD has already run in markets like France and Spain, but it's not the only piece of the strategy. The company is also bundling the platform with RTL+ in Germany and cutting deals with local telecoms like Swisscom in Switzerland. In Israel, both Hot and Yes will carry the service for their subscribers.

• Dragons and gold medals: To entice subscribers, the platform is banking on big-name draws like the Game of Thrones prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It is also making a play for live sports, offering the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics from Milano Cortina as part of an optional sports add-on that includes Eurosport coverage.

• The fight for Europe: This expansion, powered by strategic partnerships, is WBD's biggest move yet to solidify its place in the continent's streaming wars, betting that a hybrid of premium content and bundled convenience can carve out market share. The ad-supported plan starts at just under €6 per month, as the company aims to grow its base of 128 million global subscribers.

While WBD pushes into Europe, speculative reports suggest it could be a takeover target for Netflix. The expansion also hinges on local content, with the company detailing a full slate of Italian originals to win over subscribers.