It’s no secret how much of a champion Christopher Nolan is for the theatrical experience & it’s also not a secret that he was 100% against Warner Bros.’ plan to release all of their films this year simultaneously on HBO Max & in theaters. Warner Bros. tested the waters of releasing Nolan’s Tenet last year as the pandemic raged on & movie theaters had reopened at limited capacity with most, like big markets in Los Angeles & New York City, remaining shuttered. The results were decent overseas but the $200 million film didn’t crack $60 million at the domestic box office, which was seen as a disappointment, even during the pandemic. Warner Bros. has a business to run & they’re doing what they can to combat the pandemic and protect their bottom line but this simultaneous streaming release strategy is not one Nolan supports. This could be why reports are surfacing that, after 20 years of working with the studio, he’s ready to cut ties.
According to a report from the “Wall Street Journal”, Nolan is unlikely to work with the studio again in the future based in part on their choice to release their films on HBO Max & in theaters on the same day. If this proves true, Warner Bros. is losing a huge money-making talent as his films have been successful for the studio. The box office returns for The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, Interstellar, & Dunkirk have all been solid and, if Tenet had been released during a normal year, it likely would’ve been another success story. It really would end one of the best studio and director partnerships & it leaves Nolan open to be picked up by rival studios eager to house his talents.
The news wouldn’t be surprised if it were to happen. Nolan has been very vocal about saving the theatrical release model since the pandemic began shuttering movie theaters last March and he was the first major director to denounce the Warner Bros. release strategy with HBO Max. What will be interesting to witness is which studio will be lucky enough to have Nolan next. Sony Pictures has made it no secret that a lot of talent and filmmakers came to them soon after the Warner Bros. HBO Max announcement because Sony has made it clear that they plan on respecting the theatrical window. Sony hasn’t sold off their delayed films to streaming services or settled for early PVOD releases. I’m not saying Nolan will end up there but their dedication to the theatrical model could be one that would meet Nolan’s sensibilities.
