You might already have access to HBO Max. If not, here’s how to sign up.

A major new streaming service has arrived. HBO Max is now live, bringing with it loads of content, including HBO’s enormous catalog of movies and original series, the classic sitcom Friends, plus movies from DC, Studio Ghibli, Criterion, and much more. Here’s how to sign up for HBO Max, as well as everything else you need to know about the newest streaming service to enter the crowded and competitive field.You Might Already Have HBO Max
Many current HBO and HBO Now subscribers automatically get access to HBO Max. You can check here to see if your sign-in credentials work. If they don’t, you can check the HBO Max FAQ for details about your specific situation. However, the best route may be to cancel your current subscription and then sign up for HBO Max separately.Sign Up for HBO Max Here
Assuming you haven’t been grandfathered in to the new service, the easiest way to sign up for HBO Max is by going to the HBO Max website and creating an account. This is what you should do if you don’t currently subscribe to HBO in any form.How to Sign Up for HBO Max in the US
Alternatively, you can also sign up for the streaming service through another provider if you so choose. At the moment, WarnerMedia says sign-ups are available through AT&T, DIRECTV, AT&T U-Verse, Spectrum, Altice, Suddenlink, Optimum, Cox Contour, Verizon Fios, Hulu, YouTube TV, Samsung, Apple, Google Play, Microsofts Xbox One, Sonys PlayStation 4, and select independent cable and broadband providers. More providers are expected in the future, but HBO Max isn’t currently available through Roku, Comcast, or Amazon Fire TV.Is HBO Max Available Outside the US?
HBO Max is only launching in the US on March 27. While there are plans for an international rollout in 2021, HBO Max won’t be available in the UK or Europe at launch thanks to existing licensing deals. There are plans for HBO Max to launch in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2021, with WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey telling investors, “We’re prioritizing our international expansion in Latin America and Europe where we currently operate HBO networks and have existing over-the-top services.”What’s on HBO Max?
HBO Max is populated with content from three providers. There’s HBO; other WarnerMedia properties including DC, Warner Bros. Pictures, The CW, and Adult Swim; and new original content, called HBO Max Originals.HBO
HBO Max has an enormous amount of content to stream. For starters, it contains all of HBO, which means you can stream every episode of nearly all HBO series – from past favorites like Game of Thrones, The Wire, The Sopranos, and Six Feet Under, to current hits like Barry, Succession, Insecure, and Westworld, to upcoming shows like Lovecraft Country and the reboot of Perry Mason – including new episodes the minute they go live. You also get access to HBO’s vast selection of movies, documentaries, and specials.WarnerMedia Properties
The second big pillar of HBO Max content comes from HBO parent company WarnerMedia (which owns Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, CNN, TNT, TBS, TCM and TruTV) and includes shows like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Doctor Who, Rick and Morty, Adventure Time, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and many more. It also features over 2,000 movies, with films from the DC cinematic universe, Criterion Collection, Studio Ghibli, Warner Bros. and, eventually, the Justice League Snyder Cut.
Max Originals
Finally, HBO Max offers a growing selection of Max Originals. Available now are a handful of series, including a new Looney Tunes cartoon and a romantic comedy anthology called Love Life, starring Anna Kendrick. Several additional shows have been announced with future release dates. Coming in June, subscribers will be able to watch new seasons of Doom Patrol and Search Party, as well as the Seth Rogan movie An American Pickle, among others.It’s a lot of content, and it costs $14.99 per month, which is also the price of a standard HBO or HBO Now subscription. If you’ve been thinking about subscribing to HBO, it’s safe to say that HBO Max is the best way to do it. It gets you everything available in HBO Now or HBO Go, and a lot more.
Chris Reed is IGN’s shopping and commerce editor. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.