After years of waiting, British and Irish audiences can finally access HBO Max. The streaming service officially launched in the UK and Ireland on Wednesday, March 25, with a spectacular star-studded celebration in London that featured a world-first drone show and the exclusive premiere of the Harry Potter series trailer.
The launch event, held at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, brought together the “HBO family” of talent to mark the occasion.
A Star-Studded Celebration
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | HBO Max UK & Ireland Launch Party |
| Venue | Queen Elizabeth Hall, London |
| Date | March 25, 2026 |
| Special Feature | World-first drone show over the Thames |
Attendees included a who’s who of HBO talent:
- Casey Bloys (HBO Chief)
- Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa (The Pitt)
- Lisa Kudrow and Michael Patrick King (The Comeback)
- Steve Carell, Phil Dunster, and Charly Clive (Rooster)
- Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, and others from House of the Dragon
- David Chase (The Sopranos)
- Sharon Horgan (Youth)
- Aimee Lou Wood and Jason Isaacs (The White Lotus)
- Peter Safran (co-chairman and CEO of DC Studios)
- The core cast of the upcoming Harry Potter series: Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout, and Arabella Stanton
The Harry Potter Trailer Premiere
Guests were treated to an exclusive preview of the highly anticipated Harry Potter series trailer. THR was bundled into a screening room made to look like a cupboard under the stairs for a first look at the J.K. Rowling adaptation.
The trailer confirmed an early release date for the show—Christmas 2026—and marked the red carpet debut of the young leads.
Casey Bloys on the Launch
Speaking onstage at the event, HBO Chief Casey Bloys expressed gratitude to the talent who have made HBO’s success possible.
“One thing we have to say at HBO [is] that we are only as good as the people who choose to work with us. So I want to thank everybody here, everybody who has worked on a show in the past, present, future — every actor, every creator, director, crew member. We could not do this without you. We stand on your shoulders, and we’re incredibly appreciative.”
“It’s a big deal for us to be here,” he added. “We’re proud to launch in the U.K. and Ireland, and for our library and all our shows to be available.”
A World-First Drone Show
To close out the evening in style, the HBO team had 500 drones take flight between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge, bringing the skies over the capital to life.
The formation assembled 394 feet above the river and depicted some of the world’s most iconic TV shows, sports, and movies, including:
| Depicted in Drone Show |
|---|
| Harry Potter |
| Batman |
| Superman |
| Game of Thrones |
| House of the Dragon |
| The White Lotus |
What This Means for UK and Irish Audiences
With the launch, British and Irish viewers can finally stream HBO’s full library, including:
- The Pitt (which had long gone without a UK partner)
- House of the Dragon
- The White Lotus
- The Last of Us
- The upcoming Harry Potter series (Christmas 2026)
- And the complete HBO back catalog
