Nippon Television and Hulu are launching a new brand centered on HBO Max, making HBO Max titles available on Hulu at no additional charge. The Japanese streaming launch of the new HBO original series Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has also been set for late December.
Nippon Television and HJ Holdings’ Hulu announced that they had entered into a global partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery and would launch HBO Max on Hulu on 1 October. Under the new arrangement, viewers will be able to access HBO Max on Hulu with unlimited viewing at no additional charge.
The announcement was made at a joint press conference hosted by Nippon Television, Nippon Television Group’s Representative Director, President and Executive Officer Fukuda Hiroyuki (福田博之), and the other 2 companies. The companies said they aimed to expand their international business. The President of Warner Bros. Discovery Asia-Pacific expressed the company’s intention to expand its streaming offering in response to expectations from fans in the Japanese market.
It was also announced that Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first season of a new HBO original series, would stream on Hulu in Japan from late December. Hulu is expected to strengthen its lineup ahead of the drama’s streaming launch.
Reports have cited Sex and the City, as well as titles including THE LAST OF US and Game of Thrones, among the major international dramas scheduled to begin streaming on 1 October.