Bold move for HBO Max - All 2021 Warner Bros movies to be released in theater / HBO Max on the same day

Given that by summer, theaters are likely to be open again, this is a pretty bold move (in my opinion, not typical of T to be bold)....Will it work? It'll likely get more HBO Max subscribers, but what will it do to box office receipts and the future treatment Warner Bros gets from theaters???

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-smashes-box-office-windows-will-send-2021-slate-to-hbo-max-and-theaters

In an unprecedented announcement, the studio will send 17 films — including 'The Matrix 4,' 'The S–c-de Squad' and 'Dune' to its streaming service for 31 days the same day they hit theaters.
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 on Dec. 25, the studio has laid out a similar path for its 2021 slate amid uncertainty about when movie-going 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 S–c-de 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 a something is broken, can you really put it back together again? This also raises serious concerns about the landscape of movie-going in 2021.

Sources say these discussions were kept close to the vest and not shared with many exhibitors. Warner Bros. will likely have to agree to far more generous terms with theater owners to avoid them boycotting their films. Insiders say the Wonder Woman 1984 split of ticket sales is far better for exhibitors than normal. Sources also say the studio did not inform partners such as Legendary, which has Godzilla vs. Kong, that their films were included in this plan.

“We’re living in unprecedented times which call for creative solutions, including this new initiative for the Warner Bros. Pictures Group,” said Ann Sarnoff, chair and CEO, WarnerMedia Studios and Networks 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.”

“After considering all available options and the projected state of moviegoing throughout 2021, we came to the conclusion that this was the best way for WarnerMedia’s motion picture business to navigate the next 12 months,” said WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar. “More importantly, we are planning to bring consumers 17 remarkable movies throughout the year, giving them the choice and the power to decide how they want to enjoy these films. Our content is extremely valuable, unless it’s sitting on a shelf not being seen by anyone. We believe this approach serves our fans, supports exhibitors and filmmakers, and enhances the HBO Max experience, creating value for all.”

“This hybrid exhibition model enables us to best support our films, creative partners and moviegoing in general throughout 2021,” said Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich. “We have a fantastic, wide-ranging slate of titles from talented and visionary filmmakers next year, and we’re excited to be able get these movies in front of audiences around the world. And, as always, we’ll support all of our releases with innovative and robust marketing campaigns for their theatrical debuts, while highlighting this unique opportunity to see our films domestically via HBO Max as well.”

HBO Max is only available in the United States, and Warners' 2021 slate will roll out internationally in theaters as planned. The move comes after Warners released Christopher Nolan's Tenet in theaters this summer amid challenges faced by the pandemic.

Universal has already shortened theatrical windows via its unique VOD plan, which was put in place because of the pandemic.

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@1vsl+18eeiFcH

On "you get a free trail period on HBO Max, most people will sign up for the movie and cancel right afterwards:

They are no longer giving out free trials. Of course, people can still subscribe for a month and then quit.

While this is most certainly a ploy to get HBO Max subs, there is no way this is sustainable. Given movies budgets are in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and they have a limited time to make a profit, there is no way they will get enough subs to make up the delta in revenue that the movie chains would have brought in. Also, you get a free trail period on HBO Max, most people will sign up for the movie and cancel right afterwards and T will get no additional revenue for the movie or subs for HBOMax. Then when they have to go back to theaters, the chains will want more money to show Warner movies. Very short sighted

Hell of a way to get subs for HBO. I guess those of us who won't subscribe will just be out of luck or have to go to the theaters. Due to the pandemic, this would have been a big boon to the likes of AMC if they had created a streaming app and service early in the pandemic.

anything that at&t gets involved with –is a disaster

Smart move. No one is going to theaters in 2021, let's be serious. We are in shutdown mode, with a new president talking about mandates for wearing masks, and people being told not to socialize with any one outside their household. Theaters are dead next year and even if they survive in 2022 and beyond, it will be fewer places just for teens or very high end theaters.

Time Warner movies will get people to sign up for HBO Max and may force Roku to let HBO Max on its streaming device. Good job AT&T. Puts a ton of pressure on Disney.

Going to the theater is not just about watching a movie. It is an experience. Popcorn and soda and being among other people are all part of it. It's about sharing the movie experience with others even if with strangers in a small or large crowd. The popcorn smell, the surround sound, the excitement of talking with friends before the movie and then talking about the movie afterwards. It's all part of the dinner and movie (or vice versa) experience and the memory stays with you. Then a few days later, you can talk some more about the movie and where else you went, etc. with other friends. It's a significant part of life's social experience and it's fun!

Who cares really. Who took the time to write this drivel

This is the 1st smart move in ages !

Nothing you can ever see on a 4 inch x 6 inch screen in your hand while idling at a red light should ever surpass sitting in the front row of a 30 foot high by 50 foot wide screen with quadraphonic sound and watching Apocalypse Now while blazing on acid.

When the chopper lands in front of you - it becomes real and life-sized when experienced in a building purpose built to put you into another time and place. You feel the rotor wash, your sternum vibrates with the sound of the blades, you sense the physical presence of the machine.

You are there.

You no longer just consume - you participate.

On your iPhone, it's just another video game and the light just changed to green so hit pause.

How have we become so satisfied with mediocrity?

This is actually a good move, as HBO Max has great content that a lot of people don’t know about. They hope that customers will sign up for the movies and stick around, for long term. Of course, people here will b–ch about it regardless, it’s probably one of the good moves they done in the last 5 years.

Good move theaters will go the way of the drive-in. Vaccine or no vaccine theaters are done. Just like music streaming services k–led the music stores.

It just occurred to me - this is how they put pressure on roku to make a deal to carry the Max app I'm betting this works.

Yawn. Shrug. Seems more like desperation, since HBO Max has less than 9M subscribers. A drop in the bucket compared to the biggies. And a major shortfall of what analysts projected. ANOTHER STANKEY F UP.

I think this is a really good direction. I actually feel good about it. So for every movie, they don't need to split profit with theatres!!!! HBO max is starting to look better than Netflix. Imagine 20+ blockbuster movies per year. Nextflix doesn't have that.

This is huge

This is such an AT&T move. Watch them lose their a– on this move. No way can get the same numbers from the sh–ty app. Vaccine out soon next year will look different and while you can watch the stupid Dune reboot at the house there is no way the app is going to come close to paying for production.

This is huge...

Also, I am super amped about watching Dune from home. I don’t know how I missed that there is a Space Jam remake.

Movies affected including the new Matrix movie, Dune, In the Heights, The S–c-de Squad, a new Space Jam movie, Godzilla v Kong (and more)

thats because they cant get anyone new to sign up, it's another free-for-all. making pennies on the dollar spent

Clearly, they think HBOmeh numbers are more important than box office receipts. It'll be interesting to see how filmmakers react to this, can't imagine they'll be happy, this will probably drive away some of the most successful talent to other studios (assuming not every one does this).

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Bold move for HBO Max - All 2021 Warner Bros movies to be released in theater / HBO Max on the same day

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