Warner Bros. Will Premiere its Entire 2021 Film Slate on HBO Max and in Theaters
Holy cow! Warner Bros. has announced that they will premiere its entire 2021 film slate on HBO Max and in theaters. Each film will be released on its release date simultaneously.
It was already announced that this is how they will release Wonder Woman 1984 on Christmas. I expected the studio to do this with a few of its other films, but I didn’t expect them to go their route with their entire 2021 film slate!
Some of the WB films coming out in 2021 include Keanu Reeves’ The Matrix 4, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptation, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights, The Sopranos prequel film The Many Saints of Newark, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, Godzilla vs. Kong, Mortal Kombat, Denzel Washington’s The Little Things, Judas and the Black Messiah, Tom and Jerry, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Space Jam: A New Legacy, Reminiscence, James Wan’s Malignant, and Will Smith’s King Richard. Again, all of these will debut both on HBO Max and in theaters on their respective release dates.
While this is sure to be music to some people’s ears because it is kinda cool to give people that choice, what does that mean for the struggling theaters? Is this just the next nail in the coffin for movie theaters? This pandemic really did completely change the face of the entertainment industry, and at this point, it’s safe to say it will never be the same.
It’s explained that in the short term, “the move will inject some welcome buzz into HBO Max, a Netflix challenger that launched last spring without generating much sizzle. One of WarnerMedia’s key rivals, the Walt Disney Company, has strengthened its share price because of its investment in streaming offerings such as Disney Plus even as its core theme parks and film businesses have cratered. WarnerMedia and its corporate parent AT&T are likely making the move with an eye towards pleasing Wall Street.”
WarnerMedia chair and CEO Ann Sarnoff referred to the model as a “unique one-year plan.” The studio stresses that “the initiative isn’t expected to continue into 2022 or beyond — it’s considered a temporary solution in response to the ongoing global health crisis.” Sarnoff said in a statement:
“We’re living in unprecedented times which call for creative solutions, including this new initiative for the Warner Bros. Pictures Group. No one wants films back on the big screen more than we do. We know new content is the lifeblood of theatrical exhibition, but we have to balance this with the reality that most theaters in the U.S. will likely operate at reduced capacity throughout 2021.
“With this unique one-year plan, we can support our partners in exhibition with a steady pipeline of world-class films, while also giving moviegoers who may not have access to theaters or aren’t quite ready to go back to the movies the chance to see our amazing 2021 films. We see it as a win-win for film lovers and exhibitors, and we’re extremely grateful to our filmmaking partners for working with us on this innovative response to these circumstances.”
WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar added:
“After considering all available options and the projected state of moviegoing throughout 2021, we came to the conclusion that this was the best way for WarnerMedia’s motion picture business to navigate the next 12 months. More importantly, we are planning to bring consumers 17 remarkable movies throughout the year, giving them the choice and the power to decide how they want to enjoy these films. Our content is extremely valuable, unless it’s sitting on a shelf not being seen by anyone. We believe this approach serves our fans, supports exhibitors and filmmakers, and enhances the HBO Max experience, creating value for all.”
Well, it’ll be interesting to see how this turns out for Warner Bros. and theaters. It’s definitely going to strengthen their HBO Max streaming service. I wonder if Disney or any other studios will follow suit.
What do you think about WB’s 2021 movie release plan?