Warner Bros. Discovery and Canal+ Form Significant International Partnership for HBO Max
HBO Max is set to expand its reach into two additional territories through a new multi-year agreement with Canal+. This partnership allows HBO Max to be available on Canal+ in France while renewing access in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania.
In addition to these renewals, the agreement will also see HBO Max distributed via Canal+ in Belgium and Austria. Over the past year, HBO Max has been rolling out across major European markets and is on the verge of launching in the UK, where it was previously restricted due to an existing deal with Sky.
Canal+ and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) have characterized this deal as a “major milestone in the development of their collaboration on an international scale.”
The scope of the agreement not only covers HBO Max distribution but also includes the renewal of several WBD channels and the exclusive pay-TV window for Warner Bros. films, which will debut on Canal+ six months post their theatrical release in France.
Additionally, approximately 12 WBD channels have been renewed for territories in Africa, following Canal+’s acquisition of the MultiChoice Group earlier this year. CNN International and Cartoon Network will now broadcast exclusively in South Africa and non-exclusively in other areas. Other networks have also seen renewals in African markets.
Canal+ has existing distribution agreements with Netflix, positioning itself as a potential key player should Netflix’s acquisition of WBD proceed, which would grant Netflix oversight over two of the largest streaming services globally.
