Warner Bros. is Going to Stick With its Dual Release Plan
The cinema giant studio, Warner Bros., is going to continue the practice it has followed with its upcoming tentpole, “Wonder Woman 1984.” All of its films that are due for a release in 2021 will be released both in theaters and on OTT platforms simultaneously.
When we say OTT platforms, we are essentially talking about HBO Max.
On December the 3rd, Thursday, Warner Bros. made an announcement that revealed its plans for the next year. The studio made it clear that all the films that will be released next year will be simultaneously released in theaters and on HBO Max.
The confidence shown by Warner Bros. has given us a feeling that they have finally figured out a way out of this uncertainty.
The studio has taken 180 degrees from the previous stance they had taken. However, it looks like they have taken massive learnings after a debacle that the “Tenet” had faced in September. They are taking no chances anymore. So, on Thursday, December the 3rd, 2020, they made it clear that all the films that will be released in the ongoing pandemic that includes “The Matrix 4,” “Godzilla Vs. Kong,” and on-screen adaption “In the Heights” starring Lin-Manuel Miranda will all be released on HBO Max and in theaters on the same day.
This has been done, as it has been explained during Wonder Woman 1984’s promotional campaign, to facilitate the movie-watching experience of those people who live in the areas where the theaters are closed.
Despite the tenacity shown by Warner Bros., there is no guarantee that this method will work as it was seen with Disney+’s Mulan. However, Warner Bros.’ reluctance to accept the OTT platform as an alternative to theaters did not pay dividends either as its tentpole “Tenet” fell way short of its expected performance. So, now films like “Wonder Woman 1984” will entertain the audience both in theaters and on the smaller screen. However, after one month, the movies will be pulled out of streaming services and will only be available in theaters.
The social and financial repercussion of this decision is unknown, to say the least. But, it is clear that normalcy in theaters is still some time away.
Nevertheless, it can be said that Warner Bros. is showing some creativity while its competitors have given up the fight entirely. Warner Bros. is the solitary standing warrior in the ongoing wars regarding the revival of theaters.
The virus is here to stay for a bit more. So, either we can fight or perish.
Ann Sarnoff indirectly acknowledged this in the statement that she made right after the announcement. She said that while Warner Media Studio cares about the theaters, it is important to accept realities and adapt to the new conditions and make changes to the traditions.
All the theaters in the United States have been massively hit, and while plenty remain non-functional, those who are working are working at a reduced capacity.
Warner Bros. is easily among the top two film distributors in the entire world, arguably only lagging behind Disney as on today.
To tackle the pandemic, the studio has now come forward with a plan that they call a “unique one year plan.”
The movies which are expected to be released in 2021 are “Dune,” “Tom & Jerry,” “The Suicide Squad,” “Conjuring: The Devil Make Me Do It,” Will Smith starrer “King Richard,” and “Judas and the Black Messiah.”
The only thing that is profiting from all of this is HBO Max, who is also gearing up to release the “Snyder Cut” in September.
Ryan Smith is a Microsoft Office expert and has been working in the technical industry since 2002. As a technical expert, Davis has written technical blogs, manuals, white papers, and reviews for many websites such as office.com/setup.
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