Wonder Woman 1984 will only be available in 40% of movie theaters across the US, compared to the 65% that were open for Tenet's release. Patty Jenkins' long-awaited sequel, which has attracted mostly positive reviews thanks to its hopeful storyline and heartfelt approach to its material, will be released on Christmas Day, December 25, in theaters worldwide and on HBO Max in the USA. It's the first of many Warner Bros. films that will follow that pattern, with the studio announcing in early December that all 17 of its 2021 releases would get the same treatment.
Warner Bros. made their decision in response to the almost complete decimation of the movie theater business in 2020, caused by the coronavirus pandemic. WB's most recent blockbuster, Tenet, was released only in theaters. Despite doing well in the circumstances, WB struggled to make back its budget, relying on good numbers internationally to get over the $300 million mark. That's a marked decline from projections that the Christopher Nolan film would have made around $1 billion in more normal times. WarnerMedia (parent company of WB) CEO Ann Sarnoff said Tenet's performance made the company realize audiences are not ready to return to cinemas, driving them to develop their HBO Max day and date plan.
Deadline reports that Wonder Woman 1984 has even less chance of making money at the USA's box office, as fewer theaters will be open compared to when Tenet was released in September. There are currently just 40% of theaters open across the country, compared to 65% in September. Added to this is that audiences in the open markets are less willing to head out to theaters with the pandemic still claiming thousands of lives each day. You can read Deadline's full description of the problem below:
There are far fewer theaters open now than when Tenet was around: 40% of the 5,500 supply (around 2,300 theaters) compared to 65% at the end of August. Canada is essentially shut down with only 40 cinemas open in the Great White North. Warners has booked the Gal Gadot-Chris Pine feature in as many cinemas as possible –2,150+– (vs. 4,165 theaters when the first movie opened on June 2, 2017).
The report predicts that as a result of fewer screens, Wonder Woman 1984 will make, at maximum, $20 million to $25 million over its first week in theaters. That's a fraction of what a big-budget superhero movie could have expected to make over the same period in any other year and reinforces the fact that the pandemic has decimated cinemas. Wonder Woman 1984 is looking increasingly unlikely to get anywhere near making back its budget at the box office, especially when the movie's poor performance at the international box office is added to the mix.
All of which puts WB's decision to release the movie, and 17 more, on HBO Max simultaneously with its theater debut into perspective. The studio has zero chance of making its money back on any film until the pandemic is well and truly over, so it can't be blamed for trying to make some money on HBO Max subscriptions. Despite criticism from many corners, including the filmmakers themselves, WB's decision may help blockbusters, including Wonder Woman 1984, stay alive over the next year.
Source: Deadline
