Full Warner Bros. 2021 film slate, including IN THE HEIGHTS, will debut in both theatres and on HBO Max

https://variety.com/2020/film/news/warner-bros-hbo-max-theaters-dune-matrix-4-1234845342/

When Warner Bros. announced that “Wonder Woman 1984” would land on the streaming service HBO Max on Christmas, the same time it debuts in theaters, many expected it to be an isolated case in response to an unprecedented pandemic.

Instead, the studio will deploy a similar release strategy for the next twelve months. In a surprising break from industry standards, Warner Bros.’ entire 2021 slate — a list of films that includes “The Matrix 4,” Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” remake, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical adaptation of “In the Heights,” Sopranos prequel “The Many Saints of Newark,” and “The Suicide Squad” — will debut both on HBO Max and in theaters on their respective release dates. The shocking move to simultaneously release movies day-and-date underscores the crisis facing movie theaters and the rising importance of streaming services in the wake of a global health crisis that’s decimated the film exhibition community.

Warner Bros.’ 2021 release slate also includes Denzel Washington’s thriller “The Little Things,” biographical drama “Judas and the Black Messiah,” a remake of “Tom and Jerry,” “Godzilla vs. Kong,” video game adaptation “Mortal Kombat,” “Those Who Wish Me Dead,” “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy,””Reminiscence,” James Wan’s “Malignant” and sports drama “King Richard.”

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.

Like “Wonder Woman 1984,” the films that Warner Bros. plans to release in 2021 will be available to HBO Max subscribers for 31 days. After the one-month mark, those movies will only play in theaters until it reaches the traditional home entertainment frame. From there, people can rent through online platforms like Amazon, iTunes or Fandango. It’s unclear when any titles will return to HBO Max.

WarnerMedia chair and CEO Ann Sarnoff referred to the model as a “unique one-year plan.” Executives at the company have stressed the initiative isn’t expected to continue into 2022 or beyond — it’s considered a temporary solution in response to the ongoing global heath crisis.

“We’re living in unprecedented times which call for creative solutions, including this new initiative for the Warner Bros. Pictures Group,” 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 continued. “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.”

This is sad for the movie industry but consumers want the choice to stay home or go out to watch them now. It absolutely has changed forever.

I can’t imagine the film going experience going back to normal, sadly. Bother Regal and AMC have had talks about going into bankruptcy (AMC by the end of the year and Regal, I believe, by May). Going to the movies was already a dying thing, unless you have a big movie being released. The windows from theaters to streaming have gotten much, MUCH shorter and people have made it pretty clear they prefer streaming over the theater.

I don’t agree, but I also wouldn’t expect theaters to make a big comeback from this, either.

When someone can have a great theatrical experience in their own house with the right tv and speakers, they aren't going to be going to the movies with constantly increasing prices and annoying people on phones, ruining the experience. As technology gets better and better, people will opt to be comfortable in their own homes. The new normal, imo.

Too bad HBO-MAX is only available in the USA. According to the Variety article, cinemas overseas did much better with the recently-released TENET compared to the dismal showing in the USA. But that will also depend on the pandemic situation in each country - whether cinemas will be allowed to be open or not by 2021. Will Warner allow the release of movies via HBO-GO? Hope so, as I am very keen to see a movie opening on April 16, 2021-- REMINISCENCE led by the former co-stars of Greatest Showman, Hugh Jackman (who is coming back to Broadway in The Music Man) and Rebecca Ferguson. It has a BlackList script written by and the film directed by Westworld's Lisa Joy Nolan. I have read the first draft of the script and it is an exciting sci-fi romantic thriller. It deserves a big screen as much as any movie musical does, given its theme and film treatment.

This move isn't about COVID. It's about Studios exerting force on Theatres with their end goal of owning them and with Trump's DoJ on the case they've already gained their ability to own theatres back after almost 80 years.

https://collider.com/paramount-consent-decrees-ended-studios-can-own-movie-theaters/#:~:text=Studios%20can%20now%20own%20movie%20theaters%20after%20a%20federal%20judge,on%20both%20production%20and%20distribution.

So this is two fold, it's for WB to push up their Subs on HBO Max because their marketing is awful & most of their sub base just made a lateral move from having HBO to having having HBO Max for no extra charge and it's to weaken theatre owners so they're susceptible to a buy out.

Big difference seeing it on a tv screen and theater screen with that sound system. By paying for HBO Max you may be able to see movies you have no interest in. So you have to wait a few months to see it in Netflix. Rather do it that way instead of subscribing to another service .How many can a person subscribe to ?Concessions,were always an issue . In the past a company would build a multiplex if they could handle the concessions. They make their money on that.We have a small theater near us we would go to and see the movies we want to see.Hopefully it will survive

A shame another institution goes down the crapper. Many jobs will be lost never to return sad to say. Progress marches on with more casualties. Co Vid just speeded up the process

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I can see both sides of this. I have always enjoyed going to the movies. Even when Netflix puts out a movie both on their streaming service as well as a very limited run in a small indie theatre, I would prefer to go see it in theaters.

But, I can also see the other side too. Going to the movies isn’t cheap. Seeing a movie in Manhattan, for example, would cost 17-19 bucks. That is just for the ticket alone. But, As Sutton said, with technology the way it is, buying a pretty decent sized screen with an HD capacity that can be as clear as a movie screen is pretty commonplace these days. Same for the sound systems you can buy too.

I know that there are a very small select numbers of cable companies that allow you to get HBO Max through your cable subscription just like HBO Go. But, I know that that number is very limited. Luckily for me, I am in that category and am enjoying it. However, I’ve wondered every now and then, if I didn’t get it for free would I have subscribed to it? Roxy’s right, there’s a lot of different streaming servers out there.

The advantage to streaming, even with the multitude of services, is that you aren't locked in to a contract. So you can do a month or two of one, see what you want to see, then cancel it, then start it back up whenever you want.