I’m pretty sure that sound you’re hearing is the AMC guy’s teeth.
Well, the year’s been pretty bad for movies overall, but it’s even worse for theaters. And it just got even worse. Warner Bros., in a move that’s probably not terribly surprising, has announced that their entire 2021 slate of movies will release exclusively on HBO Max.
This includes the likes of Dune, Godzilla vs. Kong, In the Heights, The Many Saints of Newark, The Matrix 4, Mortal Kombat, Space Jam: A New Legacy, and The Suicide Squad.
Warner Bros. has, however, gone to great lengths to convey that this isn’t a permanent arrangement. This is only for 2021, and only due to the ongoing pandemic. There are no plans to do this for films planned for a 2022 release.
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.
Ann Sarnoff, WarnerMedia chair and CEO
While theaters are currently open, they’ve seen massively diminished box office returns. One wonders if there will even be theaters to return to in 2022.
Source: ComicBook
About Author
