Not coming soon
Hollywood grapples with new reality
Warner Bros. is postponing Diana Prince’s return to the big screen. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Wonder Woman 1984 will now hit theatres on Aug. 14 instead of June 5.
The studio also indefinitely pulled In the Heights — an adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical that was due out June 26 — as well as Scoob, an animated film based on Scooby-Doo characters set for May 15. Malignant, a thriller from Aquaman director James Wan, was originally scheduled to open on Aug. 14, but was bumped for Wonder Woman 1984. Those three movies remain undated for now.
“When we greenlit Wonder Woman 1984, it was with every intention to be viewed on the big screen and are excited to announce that Warner Bros. Pictures will be bringing the film to theatres on Aug. 14,” said Toby Emmerich, Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman. “We hope the world will be in a safer and healthier place by then.”
The delays were inevitable as multiplexes across the Canada and the U.S. remain closed to help halt the spread of the novel coronavirus. Warner Bros. was always committed to debuting its Wonder Woman sequel in cinemas, and the studio felt it was realistic for theatres to be up and running again by August. Warner Bros. is now looking for new times to release In the Heights, Scoob and Malignant.
As Hollywood continues to grapple with the coronavirus crisis and its impact on the entertainment business, studios have been busy postponing major movies en masse. It’s a growing list that includes Disney’s Black Widow and Mulan, Universal’s Fast & Furious entry Fast 9, MGM’s James Bond followup No Time to Die and Paramount’s sequel to A Quiet Place.
Movie theatres closed their doors last week, and there’s a mounting sense of uncertainty over when venues might be able to turn their lights back on. Popcorn season, the industry’s nickname for the high-trafficked stretch between May and August, could be entirely upended if quarantine efforts extend longer than anticipated and studios continue to pull major movies.
When theatres do eventually reopen, it’s unclear how eager audiences will be to return to a darkened room packed with strangers. If China is any indication, business could start off slow as moviegoers get reaccustomed to doing public activities. More than 500 cinemas in China have commenced operation again as coronavirus outbreaks in that country begin to recede, but box office receipts are still much lower than normal. Variety.com