This is huge. It was announced late last night that Warner Bros. has taken the decision to release all of its 2021 movies in cinemas AND on HBO Max next year. The 17 big films in question will reportedly debut on the subscription-based streaming service HBO Max and in cinemas on the same date, staying on the home streaming platform for one month after the premiere date, after which the cinema run will continue. This is specifically for U.S.-based customers presently but I can’t help but think an international model will be sought as well. The news was announced via the entertainment comany’s Twitter profile yesterday evening.
I got you something ?nice? this year:
— Warner Bros. Pictures (@wbpictures) December 3, 2020
? The biggest movie premieres
? In theaters and on HBO Max the exact same day
? Beginning December 25 with #WonderWoman1984#HBOMax #WBPictureshttps://t.co/QA8MlErRYQ pic.twitter.com/VuYkTa6BGx
Warner Bros. has a huge release schedule next year, but the roll-out will start Stateside on Christmas Day with the release of the highly anticipated superhero sequel Wonder Woman 1984. Other titles currently scheduled for a 2021 release include: Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, The Matrix, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, The Little Things, Judas and the Black Messiah, Tom & Jerry, Godzilla vs. Kong, Mortal Kombat, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In The Heights, Reminiscence, Malignant, The Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark, Will Smith-led King Richard, and Cry Macho.
This has the potential to change the moviegoing experience as we know it – at least for next year, and we’d expect other studios to potentially follow suit. We’ll keep you update on that, of course.
