Whether you like it or not, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is one of the most well-known book and film franchises ever. Since Warner Bros. produced each of the eight films, HBO Max had easy access to them. Unfortunately, it appears that HBO Max will stop carrying the Harry Potter films in February 2023. What transpired, then?
Since there was no removal notification at first, many first believed there might be a bug. However, it was later revealed that all Harry Potter films had truly been taken down from HBO Max. Some claim it’s because of an agreement WB reached with HBO Max and Peacock that allows the movies to switch between the platforms on sometimes.
I can understand why fans are a little unhappy at the abrupt disappearance of the show; if you were in the thick of the series and it suddenly disappeared without warning, it may ruffle some feathers. The flicks are currently accessible on Peacock and are anticipated to reappear in a few months. Furthermore, if you reside in a nation without Peacock, HP can still be accessible on your HBO Max subscription.
Which movies were removed from HBO Max in February 2023?
As with any other streaming service, HBO Max frequently adds and removes content. However, it seems as though the platform has trimmed down its selection and prioritised high-quality content over quantity after their significant merger with Discovery+.
Although this is typically a good thing, it also means that many fantastic shows and films are being dropped. What films were taken off of HBO Max in February 2023?
The removal of movies and TV shows from HBO Max is typically announced beforehand. As a result, they declared they will withdraw the John Wick series from their offer this month. This angered some people, but hey, at least there was a “heads up.” I, Robot (2004), Jurassic Park (1993), Life of Pi (2012), Source Code (2011), and more well-known movies were also eliminated.
Additionally, it was made clear up front that HBO Max will be eliminating the first two instalments of the Harry Potter prequel series, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2016) and Fantastic Beasts: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016). (2018). The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022), the third film, is still available.
Are Harry Potter movies removed from HBO Max (February 2023)?
All of the movies I’ve cited so far had their removal announced, if not immediately. The elimination of the whole Harry Potter series, including all eight films, was not mentioned. In February 2023, if you’re a US resident and look for Harry Potter on HBO Max, you’ll come up empty-handed.
I’m sorry if you were in the middle of a rewatch of the franchise; all the movies were abruptly removed on February 1, 2023. Users at first speculated that the removal might be a bug because it happened so quickly. But it didn’t take long for HBO Max’s official Twitter account to respond and confirm that the films had indeed been formally taken down:
“Hello, Brennan. Thanks for getting in touch! Although the Harry Potter films are no longer accessible on HBO Max, we are constantly working to ensure that HBO Max offers the best content and are confident you will adore the choices.
While it clarifies that there is no problem and that the videos are no longer available, it makes no attempt to explain why or whether they will ever return. But don’t worry; we’ve got everything covered.
Why did HBO Max remove all Harry Potter movies?
If you’re new to HBO Max, you probably weren’t aware that the Harry Potter series has previously been taken off the service. The elimination is not due to a lack of viewings of the films. The truth is that HBO Max and Peacock, Universal’s streaming service, split streaming rights to the Harry Potter films.
Before HBO Max existed, Warner Bros. inked a significant agreement with Universal for the streaming rights to the Harry Potter series, as one Redditor pointed out. Then, when HBO Max arrived, they also received the authorization to broadcast the movies.
The problem was handled in a way that the movies now sporadically move from one platform to another. Harry Potter is now available on Peacock rather than HBO Max as of February 2023. Furthermore, given the terms of the agreement, it is very likely that the franchise will soon return to HBO Max, most likely within the next few months.
On the other hand, I’ll reveal a tiny secret to you. Because Peacock is unavailable where I live in Croatia, I can still watch all eight Harry Potter films on my HBO Max. You can probably still view Harry Potter on an international edition of HBO Max if you use a reliable VPN.
If you live in the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, or Italy and don’t have (or don’t want) a VPN, you may sign up for Peacock for free (on their limited library plan) or pay $4.99 for an ad-supported Premium subscription to access their entire collection. It will cost you $9.99 per month if you want access to the entire collection without any adverts.
