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a14 people & arts
Saturday 5 december 2020

In seismic shift, Warner Bros. to stream all 2021 films

By JAKE COYLE
AP Film Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — In the
most seismic shift by a Holly-
wood studio yet during the
pandemic, Warner Bros.
Pictures on Thursday an-
nounced that all of its 2021
film slate — including a new
"Matrix" movie, "Godzilla vs.
Kong" and the Lin-Manuel
Miranda adaptation "In the
Heights" — will stream on
HBO Max at the same time
the films play in theaters.
Among the myriad release
plan changes wrought
by the pandemic, no stu-
dio has so fully embraced
streaming as a lifeline. But
after disappointing domes-
tic ticket sales for "Tenet,"
and with the majority of U.S.
theaters currently closed,
the AT&T-owned Warner
Bros. will turn to a hybrid dis-
tribution model next year.
Films will debut simultane-
ously in theaters and on This image released by Warner Bros. Entertainment shows Timothee Chalamet, left, and Rebecca Ferguson in a scene from the
HBO Max in the U.S. After upcoming 2021 film "Dune."
one month, they will stop Associated Press
streaming and continue to
play only in theaters. saw an end in sight to the this is a win-win-win for our ner Bros.' announcement, lion people were using HBO
The move follows Warner pandemic, we might have fans, our filmmakers and shares of AMC Entertain- Max, though 29 million had
Bros.' decision to put "Won- a different strategy. But we our exhibitors. We're get- ment fell 16%; Cinemark access to the streaming
der Woman 1984" on HBO don't see that at this mo- ting the movies out. We're was down 22%. AMC vehe- service as part of their HBO
Max in December, along ment." allowing them be seen mently disagreed with War- subscriptions. For compari-
with a concurrent theatri- HBO Max is only available on the big screen which is ner Bros.' strategy. Adam son, Disney+ has about 74
cal run. If that pivot sent in the United States. Inter- what they were made for, Aron, chief executive of million subscribers, though
shockwaves through the nationally, the studio's 17 but giving an alternative. the world's largest chain, it's available worldwide.
industry, Thursday's an- films planned for 2021 re- The hybrid approach also said AMC had gone along "Our content is extremely
nouncement rattled Holly- lease will roll out exclusively allows us to market them in with the "Wonder Woman valuable, unless it's sitting
wood to the core. in theaters. a fuller way than we would 1984" plans because of on a shelf not being seen
"Given the unprecedent- Warner Bros.' decision reso- have had we just looked at the virus surge. But he said by anyone," said Kilar in a
ed time that we're in, we nates especially because the less-than-full capacities AMC would oppose the statement. "We believe this
needed a creative solu- the 117-year-old studio in theatrical right now." same approach into 2021, approach serves our fans,
tion to address our fans, our of "The Wizard of Oz" and Warner Bros.' 2021 slate in- when a vaccine could ac- supports exhibitors and film-
filmmakers and our exhibi- "Casablanca" has long cludes many of the expect- celerate a recovery. makers, and enhances the
tors, said Ann Sarnoff, chief been a market-leader in ed top movies of the year, "Clearly WarnerMedia in- HBO Max experience, cre-
executive of WarnerMedia Hollywood — and one including "Dune," "The Sui- tends to sacrifice a consid- ating value for all."
Studios, in an interview. known as especially sup- cide Squad," "Tom & Jerry," erable portion of the prof- It's the latest in a series of
"Big and bold is a necessity portive of theaters. The stu- "The Conjuring: The Devil itability of its movie studio, sea changes sweeping
right now." Sarnoff called it dio has generally ranked Make Me Do It," "King Rich- and that of its production through an industry con-
a "temporary solution" and among the top two stu- ard" and "Judas and the partners and filmmakers, vulsed by the pandemic.
a "one-year plan." The stu- dios in market share over Black Messiah." to subsidize HBO Max," said The demise of the tradi-
dio said other options — the past decade — most The move by Warner Bros. Aron in a statement. "As for tional 90-day theatrical
releasing big-budget films recently dwarfed only by only makes the pain be- AMC, we will do all in our window — something long
solely in reduced capacity Walt Disney. Warner's films ing felt by exhibitors all the power to ensure that War- sought by some in Holly-
theaters or delaying films typically account for $1.5-2 more acute. Having been ner does not do so at our wood — has accelerated,
another year — weren't billion annual in ticket sales shuttered for much of the expense." and many think it's gone
appealing. Warner Bros.' in North America — a lot year, cinemas reopened Under chief executive Ja- for good. Universal Pictures
move amounts to an ac- of money to compensate nationwide in late summer son Kilar, the former Hulu last month made deals with
knowledgement that any for in HBO Max subscrib- except in some key loca- chief, WarnerMedia re- both AMC Theatres and
full rebound for theaters is ers. Warner Bros. confirmed tions, including Los Angeles cently reorganized to fur- Cinemark to give them the
still a year or more away. the films will be available to and New York. But with most ther prioritize its streaming option of shifting movies
"We've got to get people subscribers with no further major releases postponed service. He has moved into home release after just
back in theaters at full ca- charge. and virus cases surging, aggressively to boost HBO 17 days in theaters. Disney
pacity at some point. If you "I can't comment on the about 60% of theaters have Max, even if it comes at the has postponed most of its
read the medical experts economics of how it will all since closed again. Regal expense of the theatrical releases, but redirected
that's going to take a while work — I'd need a crystal Cinemas, the country's sec- marketplace. After a rocky "Hamilton," "Mulan" and
to work its way through the ball for that," said Sarnoff. ond largest chain, has shut rollout, HBO Max said in the upcoming Pixar release
system," said Sarnoff. "If we "But I'm very optimistic that all its doors. Following War- October that nearly 9 mil- "Soul" to Disney+. q