Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery have signed a multi-year, multi-territory agreement to bolster their global collaboration. The deal expands HBO Max availability and renews channel distributions across Europe and Africa. It builds on prior partnerships amid Warner Bros. Discovery's pending acquisition by Netflix.
The agreement, described as a major milestone, renews HBO Max distribution through Canal+ in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. It also introduces the streaming service to Belgium and Austria for the first time. Additionally, distributions of Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and CNN International are extended in Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, while Warner TV renewals apply to the Czech Republic.
In Africa, the pact with MultiChoice Group territories refreshes access to 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels, including CNN International, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, Discovery Channel, Discovery Family, Real Time, ID, TLC, HGTV, Travel, TNT Africa, and Food Network.
This deal follows 2024 arrangements, such as the exclusive six-month pay-TV window for Warner Bros. Pictures films post-theatrical release in France and the integration of HBO Max into select Canal+ offerings. The timing aligns with Netflix's proposed purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, potentially enhancing Canal+'s global position given its existing Netflix distribution ties.
During Canal+ Group's Paris showcase on December 16, Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos addressed the audience, affirming continuity in Warner Bros. operations. "Our intentions when we buy Warner Bros. will be to continue to release Warner Bros. studio movies in theaters with the traditional windows," Sarandos stated in conversation with Canal+ chair and CEO Maxime Saada. "Then those movies would flow through the Canal+ output deal. That’s very exciting for us."
The partnership underscores ongoing efforts to expand premium content access internationally, supporting both companies' streaming and linear TV strategies.
