HBO Max Will Launch in Japan as Hubs Inside Prime Video and Hulu Japan

Overview

• Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed that HBO Max will debut as dedicated hubs inside Amazon Prime Video and Hulu Japan, with the service going live on October 1, 2026.
• Hulu Japan subscribers will receive the HBO Max Standard tier folded into their existing plans at no extra charge while Prime Video will sell HBO Max as paid add-on tiers labeled Standard and Premium.
• The launch library will include HBO, Warner Bros., DC and Max originals such as House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Euphoria, and the new HBO 'Harry Potter' series scheduled for Christmas, plus major film franchises.
• The rollout is part of a global partnership with Nippon Television, owner of Hulu Japan, and the companies said they will explore placing Nippon TV and Hulu Japan local shows on HBO Max for international audiences.
• The move replaces the prior U-Next distribution in Japan and reflects a broader strategy of using established local aggregators to gain scale in markets that favor bundled platforms, which could change how global streamers expand outside Western markets.