HBO and Warner Bros. have made it clear they will not let a pandemic stop them from delivering quality films in 2021. Today they announced that in 2021 every new release on the Warner Bros. slate will be made available on the HBO Max streaming service on the same day as its theatrical release. Recognizing that theaters are likely to open with limited capacity in 2021, and that many moviegoers will not yet be ready for indoor theaters, they decided to bring the movies to us.
Each film will be available on the streaming platform for one month during its time in theaters. In a press release, Chair and CEO of WarnerMedia Studios and Network Group, Ann Sarnoff said, “No one wants films back on the big screen more than we do… 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.”
Films expected to be released with this hybrid model include: The Little Things, Judas and the Black Messiah, Tom & Jerry, Godzilla vs. Kong, Mortal Kombat, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In The Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Reminiscence, Malignant, Dune, The Many Saints of Newark, King Richard, Cry Macho, and Matrix 4.
We can expect to see movie premieres start streaming as early as Christmas! After almost a year without the theater experience, it is so exciting that HBO and Warner Bros. have decided to bring all the new movies to us in the safety of our own homes. Who else is stoked for Space Jam: A New Legacy!
And the hits keep on coming! HBO Max has also surprised us with an early release of a special episode of Euphoria. It will air on HBO as expected on Sunday, December 6th but subscribers will have early access to the first of the two holiday special episodes tonight at 9pm PT.
