WARNER BROS’ BIG GAMBLE
Why a hybrid streaming release is the way forward (for now)…
In early December, Warner Bros dropped a bombshell. Following Wonder Woman 1984’s lead, every one of its 2021 releases – including big-screen behemoths Dune, The Matrix 4 and Godzilla Vs. Kong – would premiere simultaneously in cinemas and on Warner-owned streaming service HBO Max for 31 days. In the UK, it’s thought that films could land on PVOD as little as 28 days after debuting in cinemas.
After months of major studios nibbling away at the once-sacrosanct theatrical exclusivity window, this was the inevitable, but no less epochal, conclusion. The move threatens to change film distribution forever as, despite claims this is a “unique one-year plan” from Warner Bros. chairman Ann Sarnoff, it’s difficult to imagine this particular genie ever being fully escorted back into the bottle.
Filmmakers – who weren’t consulted in advance of the decision – reacted with frustration. Christopher Nolan pulled no punches, saying “filmmakers went to bed thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service”. Legendary, who ponied up 75 per cent of Dune’s budget, is exploring legal challenges. Behind the scenes, Warner has well and truly fluffed it. But for audiences, the pros outweigh the cons. At least in the short term.
Vaccinations may already be under way, but social-distancing measures will be necessary for the foreseeable future. Releasing films on a relatively inexpensive streaming service doesn’t just eradicate accessibility concerns for the most vulnerable, it’s a rational acknowledgment that ‘business as normal’ simply isn’t on the cards for the next 12 months. The alternative – no major movies till 2022 or later, when the box office has a hope of returning to pre-pandemic levels – would be disastrous for everyone, not least cinemas.
Because, crucially, Warner is giving audiences the option of an optimal theatrical experience where it is safe to return, providing the exhibition industry with a lifeline at a desperately challenging time. There’s little doubt that driving subscribers towards flailing streaming service HBO Max is the overriding goal for Warner, but the benefit for audiences over the next year shouldn’t be dismissed. JF