Due to the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, Warner Bros. has announced that every upcoming major film coming from the studio will premiere in theaters and on HBO Max on the same day. Upcoming blockbuster films such as Dune, In the Heights, and Wonder Woman 1984 will be available for a one-month window on the streaming service at no additional cost to subscribers according to Hollywood Reporter.
Warner Bros. Pictures has even gone out of its way to release a short sizzle reel that shows off some of the major films that will eventually be coming out, even some films that are a ways away such as Matrix 4, Mortal Kombat, and Space Jam.
You can view the video below:
Here’s what Ann Sarnoff, chair and CEO of WarnerMedia Studios, had to say about the significant announcement:
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.
This news of course paints a good picture of what to expect from other major blockbuster film releases amidst the ongoing pandemic, even after things go back to “normal.”
We’ve seen Disney also play around with releasing its films to its own streaming service, such as Mulan earlier this year, but future titles such as MCU’s Black Widow is still slated to premiere exclusively in theaters on May 7, 2021, with no announcement of a Disney+ launch.
HBO Max is currently priced at $15 a month with a seven-day free trial offered to new subscribers.
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