There were two movies that I really, really, really wanted to see this year: Mulan and Tenet. It’s December and I still haven’t seen either of them thanks to Christopher Nolan’s insistence on releasing Tenet in theaters and Disney’s insistence on releasing Mulan only to Disney Plus at first, with astronomical rental costs everywhere else.
But things will be much different in 2021 when it comes to watching the Matrix 4, Dune or any of Warner Bros. other highly anticipated movies. That’s because Warner Bros. will be releasing everything simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. Exactly the way it should be.
The Hollywood Reporter explains:
“Warner Bros. is plotting a sweeping response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has shuttered movie theaters around the country. After announcing that Wonder Woman 1984 will go to HBO Max as well as theaters Dec. 25, the studio has laid out a similar path for its 2021 slate amid uncertainty about when moviegoing will get back to normal.
The studio announced Thursday day-and-date releases for its 17-film slate, which will hit HBO Max for a one-month window that starts the same day they will be available in U.S. theaters.
The studio’s 2021 slate includes projects such as The Suicide Squad, The Matrix 4, Dune, Godzilla vs. Kong and Space Jam: A New Legacy. Other films include Little Things, Judas and the Black Messiah, Tom & Jerry, Mortal Kombat, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In the Heights, Reminiscence, Malignant, The Many Saints of Newark, King Richard and Cry Macho.
The unprecedented move is likely to catch theater owners off guard and upsets a model that has been in place for decades. Warner Bros. stresses that these are pandemic-only rules, but once something is broken, can you really put it back together again?”
Obviously you can’t but I would argue that this move doesn’t break the system. It fixes it. Pandemic or not, movies should always be released at home the same time they are in theaters. That doesn’t mean people will stop going to theaters all together. Going to the movies is still “an experience” and certain action films will always be better on larger screens with Dolby surround sound and a room full of cheering fans. Not to mention all the romances that have blossomed on date nights in theaters around the country. But there’s no reason why every movie has to be released exclusively in theaters. People who want to pay a premium for a night out should be able to. Introverts who prefer to stay in should be able to do that as well. Hopefully, this move by Warner Bros. is part of our new normal and not just a temporary fix during the pandemic.
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