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Warner Bros has announced plans to offer limited streaming of each of its 2021 films on HBO Max at the same time as the film debuts.
The movies will begin streaming the same day they are released in US theaters and will remain on the HBO Max subscription service for one month before being removed for a period of time.
WarnerMedia plans to run the new model as an experiment for one year.
Movies that will be subject to the new Warner Bros model include Dune, Matrix 4, Space Jam: a new legacy, Suicide squad, The little things, Judas and the Black Messiah, Tom jerry, Godzilla vs Kong, Mortal Kombat, Those who wish me dead, The incantation: the devil made me do it, In the heights, Reminiscence, Evil one, The many saints of Newark, King RichardY Cry Male.
All movies will be released in 4k Ultra HD and HDR.
Warner Bros CEO Ann Sarnoff released a statement explaining the move.
“We live in an unprecedented age that requires creative solutions, including this new initiative for Warner Bros. Pictures Group,” he said. “Nobody wants movies back on the big screen more than we do. We know that new content is the lifeblood of theatrical display, but we have to balance this with the reality that most movie theaters in the US will likely operate. at reduced capacity during 2021. ”
The first film to follow WarnerMedia’s experimental model will not be released in 2021; Wonder Woman 1984, which launches on Christmas Day, will run for a month on the streaming service after it launches and then will be removed. Moviegoers can still see the movie in theaters if they want to.
Sarnoff said the plan was “win-win” for movie lovers and the movie industry.
“With this unique one-year plan, we are able to support our partners in the exhibition with a constant stream of world-class films, while also providing viewers who may not have access to theaters or are not ready to return to theaters. cinema opportunity to see our incredible films of 2021, ”said Sarnoff. “We see it as a mutual benefit for film lovers and exhibitors, and we are very grateful to our film partners for working with us on this innovative response to these circumstances.”
It’s unclear if WarnerMedia has made any deals with major theater chains regarding its experiment. Sources who speak anonymously with The Hollywood Reporter said WarnerMedia kept its plans secret and only shared its intentions with a few exhibitors.
The coronavirus has forced major media producers, such as WarnerMedia and Disney, to rethink how they deliver their products to the public. It has also put enormous pressure on movie theaters, which depend on full seats and concession sales to survive.
In April, AMC said it would no longer play Universal movies in its theaters after the media company said it planned to release its latest releases directly on streaming platforms. The dispute resulted in an agreement between the companies in which AMC would have a shorter window of theatrical exclusivity before Universal made its films available for in-home rental. In return, AMC gets a share of Universal’s digital profits.
Disney is also reportedly considering releasing three of its upcoming movies directly to its streaming service, Disney +. The movies – Cruella, Peter Pan and Wendy Y Pinocchio They are all live action remakes of classic Disney movies.
Disney also plans to release its latest Pixar movie, soul straight to your streaming platform in December.
Movie theater chains, particularly independent theaters and smaller chains, are concerned that the big studios are starting to avoid them altogether and keep their box office hits filling seats at their individually owned streaming sites.
Sources that speak to Reuters In October, he said activist investor Daniel Loeb, founder of hedge fund Third Point, which controls $ 14.9 billion in assets, including stakes in Disney and Amazon, has been pushing for Disney to send more movies directly to its streaming service.
Some analysts believe that, while streaming is a safer long-term bet, it cannot produce the same explosive revenue as a blockbuster at a theatrical release.
“While we remain confident that the broadcast economy as a whole is far superior in the long run than the traditional film / television economy … nothing can achieve the economy per picture that Disney is capable of generating through a world premiere. in theaters, “Rich Greenfield, an analyst at LightShed Partners, wrote last October following a restructuring at the company.
