On May 23, a merger between Warner Bros and Discovery+ gave birth to the Warner Bros Discovery platform, the project being to combine the streaming services HBO Max and Discovery+. And, it was on this same occasion that HBO Max lost its name to rename itself Max.
Across the Atlantic, its ad-free version costs $15.99 per month, it is also available in HD, with two simultaneous streams and 30 downloads. A higher tier is also offered at $19.99 per month, with 4K HDR streaming with Dolby Atmos, four simultaneous streams and 100 downloads allowed.
Available in Latin America and parts of Europe, it is not yet available in France, but it will be soon. And, while waiting for its release in France, there is a solution to bypass the restrictions imposed by this streaming giant, this method is similar to that used to watch services like Hulu and Netflix US: go through a VPN.
In addition, you can also subscribe to the Warner Pass, offered by Amazon Prime to enjoy cult, original and successful content.
When will the Max service be released in France?
Max’s international release has, for the moment, only taken place in countries where HBO Max was already available. As you will have understood, this is not the case for France. However, this could change.
During a conference at Mipcom Cannes, held in Cannes from October 16 to 19, 2023, Gerhard Zeiler (President of Warner Bros Discovery International) and Leah Hooper (Director of the European Streaming Department of Warner Bros. Discovery) announced that Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max streaming service will be launched in the summer of 2024 on French and Belgian screens, after a planned deployment in the spring in 22 countries.
This platform will provide access to HBO Originals, Max Originals, films from Warner Bros., DC and Harry Potter studios, with a series in preparation, but also to programs adapted to children from brands HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC, among others. With its Eurosport rights, you will notably have access to live sports via its channel catalog, including Grand Slam tennis competitions, the Grand Tour of cycling as well as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games from July 26.
Note that WBD has already ordered its first original French series, in four parts and inspired by the true story of a woman who pretended to be a victim of the Bataclan.
Today, Warner Bros. Discovery has finally signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Amazon Prime Video, a partnership that should last at least until the end of 2024.
Since March 2023, thanks to its $9.99 Warner Pass, which is payable in addition to the cost of your $6.99 Prime subscription, you can access the HBO catalog as well as 12 Warner channels (including Eurosport) such as Warner TV, Toonami, Adult Swim, TCM Cinema, Discovery Channel, ID and Discovery Science.
Don’t hesitate to get an idea of what awaits you by taking a look at our selection of the best HBO series to watch on Prime Video.
Watch Max from France with a VPN
Although it seems clear that a launch is planned in France, no precise date has yet been set.
The subscription to the Max streaming service goes through the official website, which can only be opened on a browser geolocated in the United States or in accessible European countries. To do this, the use of a VPN (virtual private network) is essential. This tool allows you to change your IP address and surf the net as if you were elsewhere.
For the best performance at the best price, we recommend NordVPN. Once you’ve made your choice, you’re ready to move on to the next step, which is to enter your billing information.
Create a Max account
On Max.com, you can only register if you have a US credit card or PayPal. Therefore, to create an account:
- Connect to your VPN on your smartphone, choose a US server.
- Create a new Apple ID or Google Play account from your browser, choosing the United States.
- Activate this new account on your smartphone.
- Now that you have access to the US app store, download and install the HBO Max app.
- Tap Skip if the app store asks you to add payment information to your account.
- Go to the Max app and create a new account with your email address and password.
- Use PayPal as your payment method.
- Once your account is verified, you can log in from any device.
Please note that by using this method, you are violating HBO Max’s terms of service, and the service may delete your account if it deems it necessary.
What if it doesn’t work?
In the past, several users have complained that they cannot install HBO Max on iOS because their App Store asks to save payment details other than PayPal.
In this case, we recommend purchasing US App Store credit via a gift card, which you can get on Amazon US or Walmart, among others. The minimum amount is usually $25, a cost sufficient to cover a month of Max subscription which, before a possible change (as mentioned above), is offered at the price of $19.99, or $15.99 for the subscription with advertising.
If you set your email address as the recipient, then you will receive your code to redeem the money via email. When adding your payment information, select “redeem gift card or code” to add the amount as a credit to your account.
You should now be able to watch HBO Max as if you were in the US, or wherever it is available, provided, as a reminder, that you are connected to a VPN.
Also try Hulu
To enjoy even more American content unavailable in France, why not turn to Hulu? One of the main players in streaming movies across the Atlantic, its catalog offers many original series such as The Girl From Plainville.
If you also need a VPN to install it then you will just need to buy a HULU gift card on the Walmart website to be able to create an account.
To find out what the platform has to offer, we’ve rounded up the best Hulu series of the moment.
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