Has Warner Bros finally killed cinema with Matrix 4, Dune and all its other 2021 films coming straight to HBO Max?
- Warner Bros’ decision to release all its 2021 films on HBO Max and in cinemas at the same time could have serious repercussions for movie theatres
- Cinemas will have to get smarter – whether it’s luring film fans with the promise of in-person or live-by-satellite Q&As, or boutique food and drink offerings
It’s been a year to forget for many people, especially cinema owners. Covid-19 has caused theatre closures around the world and, crucially, blockbuster releases postponed to 2021 as Hollywood studios try to figure out how to navigate the global pandemic.
Now Warner Brothers thinks it has an answer. Last week, the studio announced that its entire slate for 2021 – 17 films in total – will arrive simultaneously in cinemas and be available for purchase on HBO Max in regions where the streaming service has launched.
What’s that sound? That might well be the theatrical window shattering for good. Traditionally, the studios and cinemas have operated with 70-day “windows” where films play exclusively in cinemas before hitting ancillary markets: DVD, cable, terrestrial TV and so on. But that was before Covid-19. Despite vaccines soon to be rolled out, the smart money is that audiences won’t be returning to cinemas in droves any time soon.
Where does that leave a studio like Warner Brothers, with a serious number of forthcoming blockbusters on its hands – like Dune and The Matrix 4 – that need to recoup costs in any way they can? The pandemic has offered a chance for the studio to test the waters, to see if audiences will pay premium on-demand prices to watch brand-new movies at home.
That’s undoubtedly good news for viewers, but a worrying move for already beleaguered cinema owners.
Warner Bros CEO Ann Sarnoff called it a “unique one-year plan”, though this experiment is hardly a one-off. Back in April, Universal released Trolls World Tour on premium VOD, which led AMC Theatres – the biggest cinema chain in America – to proclaim it would no longer play Universal movies. Meanwhile, Disney put out Mulan on Disney + and will do the same for Soul , entirely bypassing theatrical releases in countries where the studio’s nascent streaming service is available.