Warner Bros. made big headlines with their announcement of a new release strategy that will see their entire 2021 film slate debut on their streaming service HBO Max & in theaters on the same day. It’s a game-changing move & many wondered how exhibitors would feel about it & now one is speaking out & they don’t seem too thrilled.
AMC boss Adam Aron isn’t too happy about the decision, even though he supported the strategy for the release of Wonder Woman 1984. He believed that was a one-off but with this move, he expects the chain to fight hard when it comes to terms. Here is what he said:
“These coronavirus-impacted times are uncharted waters for all of us, which is why AMC signed on to an HBO Max exception to customary practices for one film only, Wonder Woman 1984, being released by Warner Brothers at Christmas when the pandemic appears that it will be at its height. However, Warner now hopes to do this for all their 2021 theatrical movies, despite the likelihood that with vaccines right around the corner the theatre business is expected to recover. Clearly, Warner Media intends to sacrifice a considerable portion of profitability of its movie studio division, and that of its production partners and filmmakers, to subsidize its HBO Max startup. As for AMC, we will do all in our power to ensure that Warner does not do so at our expense. We will aggressively pursue economic terms that preserve our business.”
Exhibitors received just an hour’s heads-up before Warners went public with their new plan. The smaller theater chains only learned about seven minutes before the general public did. According to “Deadline”, many exhibitors are not happy with the move & see it as doomsday for movie theaters. The consensus amongst them is that “Obviously they don’t care about theatrical anymore”, according to one rival exhibition boss. This decision is bound to take greater shape in the weeks and months ahead as the decision to do so has already garnered a mixed reaction from the entertainment industry.
