Warner Bros. Discovery announced that its HBO Max service will be available on JioHotstar in India as a ₹49‑per‑month add‑on, effective April 15 2026. The launch brings a library that includes HBO, Max Originals, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Television, and DC Studios titles to a platform that already hosts popular Indian content.
JioHotstar, the result of a merger between JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar, reports roughly 390 million monthly active users and 300 million paid subscribers. By partnering with the platform, Warner Bros. Discovery gains access to a vast, price‑sensitive audience that has historically favored bundled offerings and local payment options.
The move aligns with Warner Bros. Discovery’s broader strategy to accelerate streaming growth amid a challenging linear‑network environment. In Q4 2025 the company reported $9.5 billion in revenue, a 7% year‑over‑year decline, and $2.2 billion in Adjusted EBITDA, a 20% drop. Management has set a target of 140 million streaming subscribers by the first quarter of 2026 and 150 million by year‑end 2026, positioning the India launch as a key driver of that goal as the company prepares to split into a studio‑and‑streaming entity and a cable‑focused entity by mid‑2026.
The partnership places Warner Bros. Discovery in direct competition with regional leaders such as Disney+ Hotstar and Amazon Prime Video. The ₹49 price point is designed to attract existing JioHotstar users, leveraging the platform’s deep market penetration and local payment infrastructure to lower acquisition costs in a highly price‑sensitive market.
James Gibbons, President of APAC at Warner Bros. Discovery, said, “India is one of the most vibrant streaming markets globally, and in JioHotstar, we have a partner with unmatched scale and a deep understanding of local audiences. The launch of HBO Max exclusively with JioHotstar marks the next chapter in our long‑standing collaboration, enabling us to broaden the reach of our premium brands and franchises, and build deeper connections with fans across the country.”
The launch is expected to bolster Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming segment, which has shown growth in recent quarters, while offsetting headwinds in its Global Linear Networks segment. By tapping into JioHotstar’s large user base, the company aims to accelerate subscriber acquisition and diversify revenue streams in a market that has proven challenging for foreign players due to intense price competition and high customer acquisition costs.
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