In case you’ve been living under a rock, “Wonder Woman 1984” finally makes its debut Christmas morning on HBO Max.
The availability of the long-awaited and oft-delayed sequel to Patty Jenkins’ 2017 smash hit starring Gal Gadot on streaming will undoubtedly make eager consumers try to figure out if they should purchase the $14.99-a-month streaming service. But we have an early Christmas present for those who already subscribe to HBO:
You probably have access to HBO Max. You just don’t know it yet.
WarnerMedia has gone to great lengths to make it easy for current HBO subscribers to get automatic access to Max (since they cost the same monthly price). Here’s how it works:
Customers who subscribe to HBO, either directly via the HBO app (what used to be known as HBO Now), or via their pay-TV operator (including WarnerMedia’s parent company AT&T), only have to download the HBO Max app on their streaming device of choice. The same goes for those who buy HBO via digital providers like Hulu, Apple, Google, Samsung and Verizon. In recent months, HBO Max has added Amazon’s Fire TV and Roku (just last week) to its list.
Amazon customers can subscribe to HBO Max via Prime Video Channels. Roku can download HBO Max from the Roku channel store and subscribe directly on their Roku device to access HBO Max.
Here are the pay-TV providers that have signed up to give their HBO customers automatic access to Max: Altice USA, Cox Communications, Charter, AT&T, WOW!, Atlantic Broadband, RCN, Grande Communications & Wave, and MCTV, and any other small provider that is part of the NCTC (National Cable Television Cooperative). Comcast, the country’s largest pay-TV provider with nearly 21 million TV customers, cut a deal with WarnerMedia hours after Wednesday’s launch.
That also includes customers of YouTube and Hulu’s live TV streaming bundle. YouTube has never offered HBO until now, but it’s the same idea. You pay for HBO, you get Max.
WarnerMedia sunset the HBO Now and HBO GO apps at the end of July. The same login consumers used for HBO Now — or HBO Go for pay-TV subs — will give them access to the new service.
After “Wonder Woman 1984,” HBO Max users will get day-and-date access to all 17 of Warner Bros.’ theatrical releases in 2017, including films like “Godzilla Vs. Kong,” “The Suicide Squad,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy” and “Dune.”