HBO Max Launches on Japan Prime Video and Hulu From October 1
The dual launch through Prime Video and Hulu Japan marks Warner Bros. Discovery's shift away from its previous Japan distribution deal with U-Next, opening HBO Max to a broader subscriber base across two major platforms.
Key Facts
- HBO Max launches in Japan on October 1, 2026 as an add-on subscription inside Amazon Prime Video and as the HBO Max on Hulu brand on Hulu Japan.
- The Prime Video subscription offers two plans: Standard at 1,000 yen per month with up to 1080p, and Premium at 1,400 yen per month with 4K UHD.
- Season 1 of the HBO original Harry Potter series, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, is scheduled to premiere at Christmas 2026.
- At launch, all seasons of House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Game of Thrones, Sex and the City, and Euphoria will be available on the Prime Video subscription.
- Hulu Japan members can watch HBO Max content without an additional fee beyond their existing Hulu membership.
Reporting from 4 sources: 4Gamer.net, Denfaminicogamer, Cinema Today, Deadline Japan.
Warner Bros. Discovery is bringing its HBO Max streaming service to Japan as add-on subscriptions inside two existing platforms. On September 1, Prime Video announced a partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery that puts HBO Max inside the Prime Video app from October 1. Hulu Japan, owned by Nippon Television, announced the same day that it will launch a new brand, HBO Max on Hulu, also on October 1. The Prime Video offering has two plans: Standard at 1,000 yen per month with up to 1080p, and Premium at 1,400 yen per month with 4K UHD. At launch, subscribers can watch all seasons of House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Game of Thrones, Sex and the City, and Euphoria, along with films such as Barbie and One Battle After Another. Season 1 of the new HBO original Harry Potter series, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, is scheduled to premiere at Christmas. The Hulu Japan deal also includes exploring international distribution of Nippon Television and Hulu Japan content on HBO Max.
- Prime Video's Standard plan allows 2 simultaneous streams; Premium allows 4. Prime Video Japan country manager Keisuke Oishi called the add-on "a simple" way for Japanese customers to watch HBO Max.
- Prime Video lists HBO Max alongside existing add-on subscriptions including d Anime Store for Prime Video, FOD Channel for Prime Video, NHK On Demand, and DAZN, part of a lineup of 83 Prime Video subscriptions.
- HBO Max also launches on Hulu Japan as a new brand, HBO Max on Hulu, on October 1. Hulu monthly members get the content at no extra charge.
- Hulu Japan's launch lineup adds series the Prime Video list omits: The Pitt, The Penguin, Lanterns, Dune: Prophecy, And Just Like That..., and Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.
- Film libraries on both services include all Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings collections, plus Joker, Mad Max: Fury Road, and DC Universe hits such as Superman and Batman.
- Prime Video's list also names Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and the comedy spin-off StuGo among available series.
- Nippon Television president Hiroyuki Fukuda framed the Hulu deal under his company's "Nittele, Kaikoku!" (open-country) strategy, calling it an "unprecedented challenge" tied to the corporate vision "Change the world with the power of content."
- James Gibbons, WBD president for Asia Pacific, said HBO Max has seen "a strong increase in engagement and awareness since launch" in Japan, and noted the past 12 months included work distributing Japan-origin content globally.
- Hulu Japan, which marks 15 years since launching in the country, says it aims to become the No. 1 domestic platform for overseas dramas.
- The launch announcement took place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo: The Making of Harry Potter.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- 4Gamer.net 「HBO Max」，10月1日より日本のPrime Videoにてサブスクリプションで提供開始。プランはスタンダード/プレミアムを用意
- Denfaminicogamer ドラマ版『ラスト・オブ・アス』全シリーズがAmazonプライムビデオで配信へ。「HBO Max」追加サブスクが10月1日より提供開始
- Cinema Today ドラマ版「ハリー・ポッター」12月下旬にHuluで配信 新ブランド「HBO Max on Hulu」10月1日開始
- Deadline Japan HBO Max To Launch In Japan As Hub Within Prime Video & Hulu