The Sea Snake Sails South: Steve Toussaint Celebrates HBO Max’s New Zealand Launch Ahead of ‘House of the Dragon’ Season Three
A new era of streaming has officially arrived in Aotearoa.
HBO Max has officially launched in New Zealand, opening the doors to one of the most celebrated libraries of film and television ever assembled. From the blood-soaked battlefields of Westeros to the halls of Hogwarts, and from award-winning prestige dramas to blockbuster cinematic spectacles, Kiwi audiences now have a new streaming destination to call home.
The launch comes at a particularly exciting time for fans, with HBO Max becoming the exclusive New Zealand home of some of the world’s most talked-about entertainment. Leading the charge is the highly anticipated third season of House of the Dragon, which premieres on Monday, June 22, day-and-date with its United States debut.
To mark the occasion, Steve Toussaint, the actor behind the legendary Lord Corlys Velaryon, arrived in Auckland to help celebrate the launch, bringing a touch of Westeros to New Zealand ahead of the series’ return.
A Library Built on Prestige
For years, HBO has been synonymous with groundbreaking television, and HBO Max brings together decades of acclaimed storytelling under one roof.
Subscribers can dive into iconic HBO Originals including The Last of Us, Succession, The White Lotus, Euphoria, The Sopranos, The Wire, and True Detective, alongside acclaimed Max Originals such as The Pitt and And Just Like That….
Fantasy fans are particularly well served, with Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, and the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms all available within the expanding HBO universe.
Blockbuster Entertainment at Scale
Beyond television, HBO Max arrives with an impressive catalogue of Warner Bros. films and beloved franchises.
Subscribers can explore everything from Oscar-winning cinema to major blockbuster releases, while fan-favourite franchises including Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and DC’s expanding universe of heroes and villains provide countless hours of entertainment.
Classic comfort viewing is also firmly on the menu, with favourites such as Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and Rick and Morty joining the service from day one.
A Massive 2026 Ahead
If the launch library wasn’t enough, HBO Max has already unveiled an ambitious slate for the remainder of 2026.
Upcoming releases include the DC Studios series Lanterns, the comedy spin-off Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, Sharon Horgan’s Youth, and the fourth season of The Gilded Age.
But perhaps the most anticipated project of all is HBO’s new television adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which is set to debut this Christmas and promises to usher in a bold new chapter for the Wizarding World.
Streaming for Kiwi Audiences
Warner Bros. Discovery says New Zealand audiences have long embraced HBO and Warner Bros. content, making the launch a natural next step for the company.
Available across smartphones, tablets, computers, smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices, HBO Max launches with both Standard and Premium subscription tiers, giving viewers access to ad-free entertainment, offline downloads, and high-quality streaming options.
- Standard Plan: Launch price offer of $10.99 per month for the first six months, or $109.99 for the first year.
- Premium Plan: Launch price offer of $15.99 per month for the first six months, or $159.99 for the first year.
With dragons taking flight once again, Hogwarts preparing to reopen its gates, and a deep catalogue of acclaimed entertainment ready to explore, HBO Max has arrived in New Zealand with a clear message: the next great binge-watch starts now.
Image: HBO MAX
