Sky has penned a new deal with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) which means that streaming service Max will come to Sky Q, Stream and Glass in the UK and Ireland from 2026.

The move is a big deal, since it was previously assumed that US channel HBO’s shows like House of the Dragon, The White Lotus and The Last of Us would simply disappear from Sky at the end of the current deal. And therefore it would have meant the end of Sky Atlantic, home of HBO shows on Sky currently.

Instead, existing shows – and their new seasons – will remain available through Sky Atlantic, but users will also be able to access the ad-supported version of Max as part of their package when it launches in the UK and Ireland in early 2026. This is similar to the way Sky customers can currently get sister service Discovery+.

In terms of what will stay on Sky Atlantic, note the use of the phrase ‘existing shows’ in that previous paragraph. New HBO programmes after the end of 2025 – including the forthcoming Harry Potter TV series – won’t come to Sky Atlantic and will instead be available on Max exclusively.

I think it’s a win-win for both parties, not least because Max will get immediate access to millions of UK and Ireland screens right from launch.

So I’d say the long-term future of Sky Atlantic still isn’t clear; it might just show repeats of older shows eventually. And we guess there may well be some series that end up being shown on Sky Atlantic after a while of being on Max, though that’s speculation for now.

Sky also announced that as part of the deal, WBD kids channels Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and Boomerang will remain part of Sky packages.

Current Sky TV options

Sky Essential TV – £15

The new entry pack with Sky Stream includes Sky Atlantic, Netflix Standard with Ads and Discovery+, as well as free to air channels like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky News and Sky Arts.

Sky Ultimate TV – £22 a month

Sky Ultimate TV includes everything in Sky Essential TV and Sky Stream plus more channels such as Sky Max, Sky Comedy, Sky Documentaries, Sky Crime, Sky Showcase and Sky Witness (so including shows like Brassic, A League of Their Own and And Just Like That). Other premium channels include U&alibi, Comedy Central, U&GOLD and National Geographic.

NB Sky Glass can be added on from £14 a month.