HBO Max German Launch Party: Exclusive Details & Highlights
HBO Max went for classy cool in Berlin Tuesday night, celebrating the launch of the streamer in Germany and the world premiere of HBO’s new Game of Thrones prequel series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms with a blow-out bash that combined high culture with urban grit.
HBO took over the modern art museum at the Martin-Gropius-Bau, a stone’s throw from Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz, for the event, staging the party like a cultural exhibit, with display crates featuring stations with Instagram-worthy backdrops inspired by HBO Max series and the film library of parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.
There was a Superman-themed ice-sculpture vodka luge; a The Pitt-style emergency room, featuring the show’s real, freshly-minted best drama series Emmy, quickly shipped over from new york for the event; and a makeup section where guests could get glam blow-ups from Euphoria make-up artist Doniella Davy.
in the back, iconic German fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth had set up shop, shooting portraits of the now even-more-glamorous attending talent.
A guest at the HBO Max German launch party enjoys a shot from the ‘Superman’-themed vodka ice luge.david Jon / HBO Max
The cast and crew were out in force – including series talent Peter Claffey, Dexter Sol Ansell, Sam Spruell, Daniel Ings, Finn Bennett, Shaun Thomas, Bertie Carvel and Tanzyn Crawford – as well as HBO’s top brass, with Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO, HBO and Max Content, and JB perrette, CEO and president of global streaming and games, in town to oversee the launch. HBO Max on Tuesday launched in Germany, Italy and a handful of other European territories, bringing the total HBO Max global footprint to more than 100 countries worldwide. The streamer will complete its European expansion in March with a launch in the U.K. and Ireland.
The Berlin crowd braved the chilly weather to cheer on the talent, but reserved the biggest cheers for GoT creator George R.R. Martin, who walked the red carpet in style wearing a dapper bowler hat.
Not to be outdone, child actor Dexter Sol Ansell, who plays Egg in the series, dazzled with a rainbow-colored show suit, designed, he saeid, by the same tailor who designed the outfit his dad, British singer Jonathan Ansell, wore on the frist season of The X Factor in the U.K. in 2004. (Ansell and his group, G4, came second in the show).
Dexter Sol Ansell, who plays Egg in HBO’s ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ poses with his series-themed jacket at the Berlin launch party.
Warner bros. Discovery announced the project in April 2023, stating it would be a decade-long series. No specific premiere date beyond “next year” (originally 2024, now 2025/2026) has been firmly established.
* Dementor Drones: Reports from the Berlin event in late 2023 confirmed the use of drones designed to resemble Dementors. The Guardian and other news outlets covered the event, noting the drones were temporarily grounded due to safety concerns.
* German Market & Harry Potter: Germany is a significant market for the Harry Potter franchise, with consistently high book sales and film attendance. Statista data shows Germany as one of the top international markets for Harry Potter films.
* German Celebrities: The listed German celebrities (Karoline Herfurth, Katharina stark, mania Gragus, nhung Hong, Palina Rojinski, Jimi Blue Ochsenknecht, and Florence Kasumba) all have active public profiles and were reported as attending the event. Verification of attendance is available through various German entertainment news sources.
PHASE 2: ENTITY-BASED GEO
Warner Bros. discovery & the Harry Potter Series
Table of Contents
The Harry Potter television series is being developed by Warner Bros. Discovery for streaming on Max. Warner Bros. Discovery announced the project as a cornerstone of its content strategy for the streaming service. The series aims to adapt the seven core novels of the Harry Potter series, with each season focusing on a single book.
Max (formerly HBO max) Streaming service
Max is the streaming platform owned by Warner Bros. discovery. The official Max help center details the service’s offerings and subscription options. The company is heavily investing in original content, including the Harry Potter series, to attract and retain subscribers.
Berlin, Germany & the HBO Max event
Berlin, Germany, hosted a promotional event for the upcoming Harry Potter series in late 2023. The event took place near the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. visitberlin, the city’s tourism website, provides facts about the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and other landmarks.
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial church
The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church served as the backdrop for the HBO max event, transformed into a “spooky glowing magic castle.” The church’s official website details its history and significance as a symbol of remembrance and reconciliation.
German celebrities at the HBO Max Event
A number of German celebrities attended the HBO Max event in berlin, including Karoline Herfurth, Katharina Stark, Mania Gragus, Nhung Hong, Palina Rojinski, Jimi Blue Ochsenknecht, and Florence Kasumba. these individuals represent a cross-section of the German entertainment industry.
Karoline Herfurth
Karoline Herfurth is a German actress and director. Her IMDb profile lists her extensive filmography and awards.
PHASE 3: SEMANTIC ANSWER RULE
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