What the HBO Max launch could mean for Pacific storytelling

A Pacific screen producer says the arrival of major global streaming platforms in the region presents another opportunity for local storytellers to build digital sovereignty and demand created for them, by them.

HBO Max officially launched on 16 June across New Zealand, the Cook Islands, and Tokelau, expanding its presence in the region.

Subscribers gain direct access to an extensive library of blockbuster films and television franchises with the ability to create five streaming profiles. The platform introduces an ad-free standard plan starting at a promotional price of NZ$10.99 a month for the first six months.

Stan Wolfgramm, a Pacific screen producer, says it's another streaming platform for the Cook Islands which can be good.

But he says what this presents is an opportunity for local creators to leverage the arrival to demand content.

“HBO has basically extended their licensing contracts from the likes of Australia, the US, and now into New Zealand and the Pacific. So it’s more up to Pacific storytellers,they're the ones who are going to move the dial,” Wolfgramm says.

“Then going to HBO and saying, ‘I've got a Pacific idea’. HBO are going to go, ‘well, how many people is this going to reach in the Pacific’? They’re going to look at their bigger markets first.

“So it’s up to Pacific storytellers to provide professional content that is going to be of interest to those bigger marketplaces.”

Wolfgramm says an example of this is how Jason Mamoa, Taika Waititi and Cliff Curtis, household Hollywood names, purchased a New Zealand-based studio.

Stan Wolfgramm co-founded Te Ara Museum of Cultural Enterprise in February 2017, showcasing the Cook Islands’ history, serving as a cultural hub, and supporting local entrepreneurship. Photo/cookislands.travel/Supplied

Speaking with William Terite on Pacific Mornings, Jason Monteiro, HBO Senior VIce President, says there are no “concrete plans” to fund more Pacific stories or filmmakers.

“But if you look at our international content or our Hollywood content, you can see that we have filmed in many parts of the world,” Monteiro said.

“So that's another way of bringing Hollywood to the islands and vice versa, showcasing the islands and showcasing New Zealand to the world.

Watch Jason Monteiro’s full interview below.

“We definitely do that here in New Zealand. You never know what we might do in the islands as well.”

Wolfgramm says for the Cook Islands that the arrival of Starlink, which is a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX, has opened locals up to “everything and anything”.

He says it opens the country up to more trade, such as e-commerce. Ultimately, Wolfgramm sees each introduction of new platforms like HBO Max as an opportunity for sovereignty and autonomy, especially in the creative scene.

“There's a big discussion in the Pacific in the digital space, where most of the governments have their own digital strategies within the Pacific region. The biggest thing for us is artificial intelligence [AI].

“So we have colonisation. Then we have a second wave of colonisation, which is high speed internet. The third wave of colonisation in the Pacific is AI. This is where we basically see others telling our story.

“So we need to own the content. We need sovereignty over our stories and content. The second thing is we need our own platforms. We need our own platforms to tell our stories and not have to go through gatekeepers.”

The HBO launch follows their rollout in Australia, which became one of the fastest-growing subscription services in Australian history.

With this launch comes a significant shift in the NZ media landscape. Sky TV officially loses exclusive rights to host popular programmes like The Pitt and The White Lotus on its Neon platform after failing to agree on terms for a co-exclusive arrangement.

The platform rolls out a highly anticipated entertainment schedule, including the third season of House of the Dragon premiering on 22 June 2026.

Other upcoming exclusives include Stuart Fails to Save the Universe in July, Lanterns from DC Studios in August, and a new Harry Potter television series scheduled for Christmas.

Audiences can also stream Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness, a historical spoof executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama.

Subscribers can also access classic series like Friends and recent Oscar-winning films like One Battle After Another.