Warner Bros.' decision to release Wonder Woman 1984 (along with the rest of its 2021 slate) in theaters and on the HBO Max streaming service simultaneously has been met with a mixed reaction, and it's probably safe to assume that the majority of directors, actors and others on the creative end of the filmmaking spectrum are not best pleased.
WW84 director Patty Jenkins has already said that she "embraces" her film's streaming release, but wouldn't want it to become the norm for blockbuster cinema moving forward. Now, Diana actress Gal Gadot has weighed in, and she takes a similar stance.
“Before the pandemic, I would’ve flipped out and had a tantrum and fought super hard for a traditional theatrical release," she tells The LA Times. “But in pandemic times, you just don’t know. I hope that, once the pandemic is over, all these wonderful big movies with great filmmakers and stars will go to theaters. I can’t see studios making tentpole movies just for the streamers because it’s a 360 experience to go to a theater and experience that. I certainly hope that, once the pandemic is over, things will go back on track.”
Most people would probably take a similar view of the situation, but "once the pandemic is over" is far from a concrete timeframe, and Warners clearly won't be taking any chances in the immediate future. Could other major studios follow suit? We'll just have to wait and see.
How would you guys feel about a shortened theatrical/streamer release for tentpole movies becoming the norm? Drop us a comment down below.
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.