Are you ready for HBO Max Italy? Costs, titles, and changes coming January 13 with the new streaming platform

We all know what you’re thinking: help, here comes another streaming platform to subscribe to. At this point, there’s certainly no shortage of films and TV series on offer. Still, the arrival from January 13 of HBO Max Italia is a significant event, given the catalogue it brings with it and the origin of some of its titles, ranging from classic cornerstones of global entertainment to some of the most intriguing new releases yet to debut.

What series are available on HBO Max Italia?

On HBO Max Italia, viewers will find all the titles from the Warner Bros. library, whose ownership has not yet been transferred to Netflix. Such an acquisition could (or could not) change certain aspects of distribution, but certainly not at the moment the streaming service launches in Italy. All HBO-branded series will in fact be released on HBO Max Italia, while throughout the year Sky will continue to air some new seasons of shows already in progress. One example is the return of Euphoria: the third season, arriving in April, will be available both on HBO Max Italia and on Sky.

A different case is that of the new spin-off in the Game of Thrones saga, The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which will not be released on Sky. From 2011 to 2019, Sky broadcast the entire run of the saga created by George R. R. Martin, a phenomenon so large that it led the broadcaster to air episodes of the final season simultaneously with their US release. The second season of The Pitt will arrive directly on HBO Max Italia, and the same will apply to the Harry Potter serial reboot scheduled for 2027.

This also raises the issue of feature films: Warner properties will move to the streaming service (including franchises such as Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and characters like Superman), meaning Sky will no longer have access to first-run releases from the studio, such as Weapons or the new chapter of The Conjuring. This does not mean these titles will never reach Sky’s channels, but they will only do so at a later stage.

New exclusive releases on HBO Max Italia

HBO Max Italia is also investing in several Italian productions that will land on the platform. Long awaited and previewed with its first episodes at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, Portobello debuts on February 20 as an Italian HBO Original. Directed by master filmmaker Marco Bellocchio and starring Fabrizio Gifuni as TV host Enzo Tortora, it tells the true story that unjustly led him to prison.

Another series is currently in production, this time starring Maria Esposito from Mare Fuori, focusing on the Melania Rea case, a victim of the 2011 femicide. The series examines the fractures within a community, the justice system, and a family. There’s no shortage of docuseries either: Gina Lollobrigida: Diva Contesa focuses on the public image of the cinema icon and her private life, while Saman recounts the fight for freedom of a Pakistani woman who was killed for refusing an arranged marriage.

What changes for sports with the arrival of HBO Max Italia?

There are changes in sports as well, and no, we’re not just talking about the arrival on February 13 on HBO Max Italia of Heated Rivalry. The platform offers a package granting access to Eurosport 1 and 2, channels owned by Warner Bros. that Sky carried until summer 2025. Sky’s sports offering remains broad nonetheless, even though this marks the second major shake-up after the one caused by DAZN. Sky retains the rights to broadcast most UEFA Champions League matches, foreign leagues such as the Premier League, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1, as well as Formula 1 and MotoGP.

HBO Max Italia: pricing and subscriptions

HBO Max Italia will cost €5.99 for the Base monthly plan with ads, rising to €11.99 for the Standard plan with no interruptions and Full HD, up to the Premium plan at €16.99, which includes 4K Ultra HD and the ability to connect four devices. To add the sports package, simply add three euros to the chosen option. Meanwhile, Sky will continue with its original productions, such as the recent Gomorra – The Origins, some of which have also achieved international success. Just think of M – Son of the Century, or smaller but significant in-house hits like They Killed Spider-Man – The Legendary Story of 883, whose second season is expected in 2026. We are certainly witnessing the end of an era, and it remains to be seen how long it will last, given the increasingly imminent deal between Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix.