One of the biggest shake-ups to the library of TV shows, documentaries, and movies available on Sky Glass, Sky Q, and Sky Stream could be coming in under nine months.

For those who don't know, HBO is the US network behind many of the biggest breakout hits on Sky Atlantic over the years, including The Last of Us, Euphoria, The White Lotus, Succession, And Just Like That, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, Big Little Lies, The Flight Attendant, The Penguin, and more.

Not only that, but its back catalogue is packed with critically adored favourites, likeThe Sopranos, Band of Brothers, The Wire, Sex and the City, True Detective, the list goes on.

HBO Max is a Netflix rival that brings together hit shows, documentaries, and films from the much-loved US network behind the likes of The Last of Us, Game of Thrones, Sex And The City, and many more

HBO is about to start filming its hotly anticipated Harry Potter series, which will adapt each of JK Rowling's bestselling books over a season of television — a project that's expected to take the best part of a decade. The first season, based on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and expected to be eight hours long, will debut next summer.

Until now, you've probably associated all of these shows with Sky Atlantic. But that's all about to change.

The upcoming Harry Potter series will be coming to HBO Max, the streaming service operated by the US network.

HBO has already confirmed plans to bring this Netflix competitor to the UK early next year. As well as new episodes of Harry Potter and ongoing series like The White Lotus, The Last Of Us, and The Gilded Age, this streamer will have access to on-demand episodes of all the shows listed above alongside HBO documentaries, stand-up shows, and films.

HBO Max is already available in several European countries. There's no word on UK subscription prices, but the streamer starts from $9.99 (£7.20) a month for an ad-supported plan in the US, rising to $16.99 (£12.50) for ad-free viewing.

According to , HBO is now targeting an in the UK.

Sky has launched an affordable new bundle of channels and on-demand services, . It includes its plug-and-play Sky Stream box, over 100 live channels including Sky Atlantic — the exclusive home of shows like Game of Thrones, And Just Like That, and The White Lotus. You'll also find a subscription to Netflix and Discovery+ included too and can upgrade to Sky Cinema and Sky Sports at an extra cost

What happens to anyone who subscribed to Sky TV to watch hit US shows like The Rehearsal, Dune: Prophecy, The Night Of, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver and ensure they can access to upcoming hits like Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, or Stephen King series It: Welcome To Derry ?

Good news: despite this dramatic shake-up, Sky TV subscribers will not miss out on the latest shows from HBO.

Sky TV has dramatically expanded its own catalogue of original shows and movies in recent years, with hits like comedy-drama Brassic and Sweetpea, resurrected panel show Nevermind The Buzzcocks, and Golden Globe nominated blockbuster The Day Of The Jackal.

It's also collaborated with HBO on co-productions, like the award-winning series Chernobyl. Some had seen the scaling-up of its in-house operation, including the opening of Sky Studios Elstree — a new state-of-the-art new film and television studio that spans 13 sound stages up to 30,000ft² constructed outside Borehamwood in partnership with NBCUniversal, as a sign that Sky TV subscribers would only be left with these in-house productions when HBO Max launched in the UK.

However, that will not be the case: .

Exclusive HBO shows, currently only available on Sky Atlantic, will still be included as standard with all Sky TV packages ...but will also be accessible via the Max app, which will launch as a standalone service

Amongst those who had worried this would be the case when the current agreement between the two companies expired in 2025 were many executives at Sky.

That's why the firm filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery over rights to co-produce shows, including the upcoming Harry Potter series, which will film in Leavesden in the UK.

However, Sky TV confirmed this month that its viewers will be able to enjoy HBO shows for years to come. Following the announcement of this reinforced partnership, Sky TV dropped legal action.

Under the new deal, not only will existing HBO shows remain on Sky Atlantic, but the entire catalogue from Warner Bros. Discovery's Max streaming service will be available to Sky Glass and Sky Stream viewers. NOW, formerly NOW TV, which is owned and operated by Sky TV, will also keep HBO shows like House of the Dragon and The Gilded Age.

The renewed agreement also ensures Warner Bros. movies will still be available to watch on Sky TV, since these have been a core part of the Sky Cinema catalogue for some time.

Discussing the monumental deal, Sky Group CEO Dana Strong said: "This deal builds on our remarkable achievements this year. We have secured most major sports rights through to the end of the decade, extended our content partnerships, and progressed our transition from satellite to IP, with 9 out 10 new customers choosing Sky Glass or Sky Stream.

"This partnership solidifies Sky as the ultimate TV destination and the preferred partner of choice for streamers, rights holders and content creators alike."

From early 2026, Sky customers will receive the ad-supported version of Max bundled with their existing subscriptions at no additional cost. Since 2018, the entry-level Netflix subscription plan has been bundled with Sky TV packages, so this isn't the first time the UK broadcaster has struck a deal like this.

Netflix Standard with Ads (worth £4.99) is included with the Essentials TV bundle as standard, and from 2026 onwards, the ad-supported tier of Max from HBO and Warner Bros. will also be included with the entry-level package from Sky TV

Max will be available through Sky Glass, Sky Stream, and Sky Q devices. Max content will also be seamlessly integrated into the NOW streaming experience for Entertainment members, both companies confirmed.

Like Netflix, you'll also be able to login to dedicated Max apps across other devices, like iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, and laptops — handy when travelling.

As it stands, the ad-supported tier for Max allows simultaneous streaming on two devices in Full HD picture quality. There's no confirmation yet, but it seems likely that Sky TV will enable viewers to upgrade to 4K UHD picture quality and ad-free viewing from their box, with everything paid in the same monthly bill. The company currently uses this approach with Netflix.

Viewers will access HBO and Max Originals through a dedicated menu within the Sky TV interface, similar to how other streaming services like Netflix and Paramount Plus are currently integrated. Shows from Max will be suggested by the software based on your viewing habits and tastes.

In the United States and 64 other countries worldwide, Max from HBO is the go-to place to watch critically-acclaimed series like House of the Dragon, which are exclusive to Sky Atlantic in the UK

Dana Strong added: "This new partnership provides an expanded range of content for our customers to enjoy Warner Bros. Discovery’s popular storytelling through Max. The combination of content from our partners, alongside our slate of Sky Originals, and Sky’s leading aggregation of the UK and Ireland’s best content apps gives us an unrivalled entertainment proposition and an exceptional line-up of the world’s best shows."

As part of the deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, Turner Kids content on channels like Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and Boomerang will also remain part of Sky and NOW’s offering for years to come.

Andrew Georgiou, President and Managing Director for Warner Bros. Discovery UK & Ireland said: "Today’s announcement is hugely exciting for everyone who loves award-winning scripted entertainment and movies.

"Arriving in early 2026, the market-wide launch of Max in the UK and Ireland is a significant step in its global roll-out, and will be the place where audiences find incredible new shows, including the future Harry Potter series from HBO.

"Our new agreement will continue Warner Bros. Discovery’s long-standing collaboration with Sky and deepen our relationship across distribution and now the bundling of Max. This will enable Max immediately at launch to be available to millions of passionate video subscribers, and separately be available to the more than 20 million other broadband households in the territories through Max direct to consumer and other partnerships."

The announcement comes after a busy few weeks for Sky TV. The broadcaster recently secured long-term renewals of most major sports rights to near the end of the decade. The agreements enesure that Sky Sports viewers will enjoy an expanded lineup of sport including, the Premier League, EFL, women’s football, Formula 1, cricket, golf, rugby league, tennis, and more for years and years.

Sky Stream brings the same experience as Sky Glass to any flatscreen via a HDMI connection. Its EntertainmentOS supports the most popular streamers, including Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, Apple TV+, Disney+, and Netflix — with the software intelligently recommending new series and films based on your viewing habits SKY TV PRESS OFFICE

Not only that, but Sky recently , priced at just . And this includes Netflix and Sky Atlantic, so will presumably enjoy the perks of the Max ad-supported subscription at no additional cost when that launches in the next 13-months or so.

To put that in perspective, until recently the most affordable package for .

Available on , or £18 for those who prefer a NOW TV-style contract-free 31-day subscription, the package provides access to over 100 live television channels.

TV Essentials customers can enjoy exclusive HBO shows and Sky Originals like The Penguin, Succession, Chernoyl, and Euphoria. The package can be customised with additional options like Sky Sports and Sky Cinema on a flexible monthly basis.

Sky has launched an affordable new bundle of channels and on-demand services, . It includes its plug-and-play Sky Stream box, over 100 live channels including Sky Atlantic — the exclusive home of shows like Game of Thrones, And Just Like That, and The White Lotus. You'll also find a subscription to Netflix and Discovery+ included too and can upgrade to Sky Cinema and Sky Sports at an extra cost