Warner Bros. Discovery and U-Next, a Japanese streaming giant, have announced a global partnership to bring a curated selection of premium Japanese drama series to Warner Bros. Discovery’s flagship streaming service, Max, in international markets such as the U.S., Brazil, and Southeast Asia.
This expansion of their existing partnership, which initially launched Max on the U-Next platform in Japan last year, will now showcase Japanese content to a global audience.
The lineup of Japanese dramas set to be distributed internationally includes TBS’ highly anticipated series “Love is for the Dogs,” based on the popular webtoon “Dog-Like Romance,” as well as TV Tokyo’s dark comedy “Please Die My Beloved” and TBS’s legal drama “Ignite.”
In total, the slate consists of 10 titles spanning various genres from both TBS and TV Tokyo, such as “Mr. Mikami’s Classroom,” “Who Saw the Peacock Dance in the Jungle?,” “La Grande Maison Tokyo,” “Light of My Lion,” “Until I Destroyed My Husband’s Other Family,” and “Baby Assassins.”
Magdalene Ew, head of content, streaming, APAC at Warner Bros. Discovery, expressed excitement about the opportunity to introduce Japanese content to a global audience, citing the strong engagement with U.S. content on Max on U-Next in Japan.
The international launch of these Japanese dramas is scheduled for later this year, with specific market dates to be announced soon, underscoring the commitment of both companies to promoting cross-cultural content exchange.
Tenshin Tsutsumi, President and CEO of U-Next Inc., highlighted the strategic selection of dramas for global distribution, emphasizing their potential to resonate with audiences worldwide.
The partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery and U-Next was established in September 2024, making Max the exclusive home of HBO Originals in Japan. This collaboration has allowed Japanese subscribers to access global hits like “The Last of Us” and “The White Lotus” simultaneously with their U.S. releases.
U-Next is known for offering a wide range of SVOD content in Japan, including live sports, e-manga, e-books, and e-magazines, following the integration of Paravi in July 2023.
For Warner Bros. Discovery, this partnership signifies a strategic step in their global content distribution strategy, leveraging local partnerships to bring premium content to international audiences while also showcasing regional stories.
With operations in over 220 countries and territories and a diverse portfolio of brands including Discovery Channel, Max, CNN, and HBO, Warner Bros. Discovery continues to expand its reach and offer compelling content to viewers worldwide.
