With so much uncertainty surrounding the reopening of theaters in 2021, it's no wonder studios are unsure how to proceed. Warner Bros. made a ballsy move when they confirmed that its entire 2021 slate will release in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously, but rivals are taking a wait-and-see approach.
As one financier tells The Hollywood Reporter, releasing movies while theaters are closed is "great for headlines, but not for the bottom line." They use the poor performance of Wonder Woman 1984 as an example, noting: "The major studios have realized there is no point in trying to release their product right now."
Recently, it's been reported that Black Widow could end up heading to Disney+'s "Premier Access" service in May, but insiders insist that there are still no plans for anything other than a big screen release.
Paramount Pictures has also refuted rumours that Top Gun: Maverick could jet on to a streaming service in a big money deal. "We have no plans to move our theatrical release of Top Gun," Paramount president of distribution Chris Aronson confirms. "I think the next two months are critical, and whether the new administration can implement a robust vaccination plan. If Biden’s 100 million vaccines in 100 days works, then I think we’ll be in good shape."
It seems the future of moviegoing hinges on those vaccinations, because if life doesn't start returning to normal over the coming months, there may not be any theaters left to screen movies in.
Which 2021 movies are you most excited to see?
About The Author:
Comic Book Reader. Film Lover. WWE and F1 Fan. Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic and ComicBookMovie.com's #1 contributor.