We have big news to share. As many of you know, Wonder Woman 1984 is going to be released worldwide in theaters later this month. In the United States, we will also be making the movie available on HBO Max at no extra cost the same day that Wonder Woman 1984 premieres in theaters (for the first month of the film’s release).

We are announcing today that, in the United States, the entire anticipated 17-film 2021 Warner Bros. motion picture slate is going to be released throughout the coming year in theaters and on HBO Max the same day. That’s a Warner Bros. motion picture just about once every three weeks. Saidanother way, when we release 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 in theaters around the world in 2021, in the United States, we will also be releasing them the same day on HBO Max, at no extra cost, for the first month of each film’s release. This 43-second video does a far better job than I could ever do communicating this news, so take a look:
As I mentioned in my post from a few weeks ago, we see an opportunity to do something firmly focused on the fans, which is to provide choice. Whether that choice is to enjoy a great new movie out at the cinema, to open up HBO Max, or to do both. For more visibility and context into our thought process, please do read the post here.

We are so excited for the year ahead, which for us begins with the release of Wonder Woman 1984 in a few weeks (less than 22 days from now, but who’s counting?). 17, yes, 17 huge motion pictures are planned to be both in theaters and on HBO Max.

And on the subject of HBO Max, there are so many amazing HBO original series and Max originals I’m excited about. The Tiger Woods HBO documentary arriving in January is incredible. And this little thing called Zack Snyder’s Justice League coming in a few months as well 😊. Oh, and the return of Succession and the highly-anticipated Friends Reunion. We also have a great new crime drama coming called No Sudden Move from Oscar- and Emmy-winning director Steven Soderbergh. And then there is Mare of Easttown starring Kate Winslet. Plus, the new Gossip Girl, which I think is going to make so many fans go crazy (in a good way). And…ok, I’ll stop there, but I have only scratched the surface in terms of the new releases HBO Max has in store. Maybe I should do another post on the bonkers library of movies and series on HBO Max?

Before I end this post, I want to say that none of this would be possible without the hard work of so many people at WarnerMedia. I am so proud of how this amazing team is inventing and collaborating on behalf of customers, blazing new ground with each passing day. As a team, we are all extremely fortunate that we get to do what we do each day, which is to move the world — the fans, the audience — through story. We so thoroughly believe in this mission and we never take this privilege for granted.

With thanks,



P.S. Principal photography starts on the next Game of Thrones series, House of the Dragon, in a few months. Look out for dragons overhead!

Studios have to take a look at contracts that may promise some kind of theatrical release, as well as renegotiate backend deal with financial partners and talent before making any announcements in the press. In the case of “Wonder Woman 1984,” insiders say that Gadot and director Patty Jenkins received generous backend deals after agreeing to send the film to HBO Max. The pair may never have hit the necessary milestones to trigger that money in the current environment, given that many theaters are closed and cinemas still haven’t opened in New York City or Los Angeles. But in pre-pandemic times, the sequel to 2017’s “Wonder Woman” would have likely been within reach of the billion-dollar mark. The original superhero adventure generated over $800 million at the worldwide box office.

Further complicating matters, studios have to play a seemingly unending game of phone tag to get all parties to sign off. Some of these actors and directors have moved on to other projects, many of which are shooting in the U.K., Australia or other exotic locals that wreaks havoc on aligning all the timezones.

If the director, major stars or producers can’t be convinced that digital debuts are their best option, the alternative is to continue kicking movies down the road. But then, they run the risk of an even more uncertain theatrical environment. There’s no indication of when moviegoing will return to a significant degree, which means waiting can be equally as risky as taking a bold bet on a streaming service. When “Tenet” premiered in September, 70% of U.S. movie theaters had reopened. By Thanksgiving, hundreds had shuttered again, leaving roughly one-third in business. The number of screens to play a movie could keep dwindling, especially if independent cinemas don’t receive federal relief.