Source: Warner Bros. / Warner Bros.
Looks like the movie theater apocalypse is unfolding right before our eyes and while they’re doing what they can to recover from the COVID-19 shutdown that ruined their earnings, many feel that Warner Bros. might be putting the final nail in that coffin.
According to Variety, Warner Bros. plans on releasing their entire slate of 2021 blockbusters not just in movie theaters, but simultaneously also on HBO Max for anyone who still have reservations about sitting in a closed off public place during the pandemic.
And we’re not talking about a Trolls World Tour type of films, we’re talking about some of the most highly anticipated films of the year including The Matrix 4, The Suicide Squad, King Kong vs. Godzilla, Mortal Kombat, and Space Jam 2, amongst many others. The movies will be available on HBO Max for 31 days before being pulled and returning on home entertainment platforms.
While movie theater stocks took a gargantuan hit when news broke of Warner Bros. rollout plan, WB CEO Ann Sarnoff explained the studio’s thought process behind the move.
“We’re living in unprecedented times which call for creative solutions, including this new initiative for the Warner Bros. Pictures Group,” WarnerMedia chair and CEO Ann Sarnoff Sarnoff said in a statement. “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,” she added. “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.”
Hey, we ain’t complaining. Not one bit.
The move comes after it was announced that Wonder Woman 1984 would be going the same route this coming Christmas in an effort to keep people home and prevent more spreading of COVID-19.
Now, if we can only get Universal Pictures to do the same with Jordan Peele’s Candyman reboot, we’d be straight.
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