Shows going off air on Disney Hotstar from April 1st

Disney+ Hotstar subscribers in India will no longer have access to HBO content on the platform after March 31. This news may be disappointing for fans of popular shows like The Last of Us or The Game of Thrones. The decision is reportedly part of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, which aim to reduce expenses by $5.5 billion, with $3 billion in non-sports content. The company has also recently laid off 7,000 employees.

Why is HBO content moving away from Disney+ Hotstar?

Disney+ Hotstar has been facing challenges in maintaining its subscriber base, which has resulted in a decline in paid subscribers. In the quarter that ended on December 31, the platform witnessed the biggest-ever quarterly subscriber decline, losing 3.8 million paid subscribers. As of December, the number of paid members on Disney+ Hotstar stood at 57.5 million, representing a 6% decline from the previous quarter’s figure of 61.3 million. The service accounted for about 35.5% of Disney+’s total paid subscriber base.

These subscriber losses have made it difficult for the platform to maintain its margins, which has prompted the company to lower its paid subscriber targets. The reasons for the decline in subscribers are not entirely clear, but some speculate that the company’s decision to increase prices and reduce content offerings may have contributed to the drop in numbers.

Disney+ Hotstar faces stiff competition in the Indian market, with other streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and local players like Zee5 and Voot also vying for a share of the market. To remain competitive, Disney+ Hotstar will need to continue to invest in content and marketing to attract and retain subscribers.

Where will HBO show its content in India after March 31?

Last year, Warner Bros had plans to launch HBO Max streaming service in India, but later decided not to proceed with the plan. However, according to reports, the company is now considering launching a global streaming service that would feature content from HBO Max and Discovery+. The details of this proposed service are not yet known.

In July 2021, Warner Bros signed a deal with Amazon Prime Video to offer 11 HBO Max original series in India. Prime Video has since added popular shows like The Flight Attendant, the Gossip Girl reboot, the Sex and the City sequel called And Just Like That, and the sci-fi drama Raised By Wolves to its offerings for customers in India.

It is not clear what the future holds for HBO content in India. However, with the current deal in place, Indian audiences can still access some HBO Max content through Amazon Prime Video. Warner Bros has not provided any further information about their plans for launching a streaming service in India or elsewhere. Nonetheless, the company’s potential new global streaming service could offer a platform for Indian viewers to access HBO content in the future.

Which shows will not be available on Disney+ Hotstar from March 31?

HBO has produced several iconic and long-running shows, such as The Sopranos (which aired its last episode in June 2007), The Wire (whose last episode aired in March 2008), and Game of Thrones (which ended in 2019). Even after many years, these shows have remained popular and have a dedicated fan base. Recently, Succession and The Last of Us, both produced by HBO, have also become very popular.