Warner Bros. hints upcoming theatrical releases like Wonder Woman 1984 and Dune could be subject to further delays. Months after movie theaters closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the film industry is attempting to get back on its feet. In particular, exhibitors are excited about the impending premieres of New Mutants and Tenet, the first two major new movies to come out in the midst of the health crisis. However, there remain a number of uncertainties given that the pandemic is still a major issue.
Theaters reopening have new protocols in place, such as capping attendance and cleaning auditoriums between screenings. There's also the fact not everyone will feel safe going back to the theater for the immediate future. That combination means movies, even the highly-anticipated tentpoles, stand to make far less at the box office than normally expected. This has led many to believe studios would be better off delaying their upcoming movies until the pandemic has passed, and it's something WB appears to still be considering.
At an investor conference (via THR), AT&T CFO John Stephens was asked about WB's upcoming film slate. He admitted, "I am not certain where those are going to go." Stephens added that "further delays in some of the titles" could happen.
Stephens didn't mention specific movies by name in his comments, but it's reasonable to assume he's referring to Wonder Woman 1984 and Dune. After Tenet, those are the only two movies remaining on WB's 2020 calendar and are most likely the biggest priorities for the studio right now. Whether or not these are delayed will depend on a number of factors, such as a timeline for when theaters in key markets will reopen and the box office performance of films coming out in a couple of weeks. If New Mutants and Tenet post solid numbers by "new normal" standards, then WB may feel confident moving forward with Dune and Wonder Woman 1984. They'll undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on on the September box office before making more decisions (particularly since they have a lot invested in Tenet).
It's interesting Stephens is unsure where WB's new movies "are going to go." This simply could be in regard to a traditional theatrical window, but perhaps the studio will look at alternative means of distribution - a la Mulan going straight to Disney+ for a premium fee. HBO Max entered the streaming wars earlier this year, but there's understandably been a dearth of original programming in its first few months (see: the Friends reunion show getting delayed). The presence of a highly-anticipated blockbuster like Wonder Woman 1984 or Dune could help boost HBO Max's subscriptions and generate revenue for the studio. Releasing a massively expensive tentpole only in theaters is a major risk right now, so streaming could be viable.
Source: THR
