Happy holidays, DC fans. Wonder Woman 1984 is arriving on HBO Max on December 25 — the very same day that it lands in theaters.
After already moving the launch date multiple times, Warner Bros. Pictures has finally confirmed Christmas Day for the film’s release, with the extra surprise of sending it to HBO Max at the same time. Wonder Woman 1984 will stay on the streaming service for a month and can be watched at no extra cost to subscribers, who currently pay $15 a month for the service.
Following its run on HBO Max, the movie will show in theaters for several more weeks before being made available for rental on demand.
In international markets where HBO Max isn’t yet available, the highly anticipated superhero sequel will premiere in theaters on December 16.
For the first time ever, #WonderWoman1984 will release in theaters and stream exclusively on @HBOmax* on December 25.
*Available on HBO Max in the US only at no extra cost to subscribers. pic.twitter.com/bU1Lmg5YDA
— Wonder Woman 1984 (@WonderWomanFilm) November 19, 2020
In a blog post, WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar said that while it was unprecedented to release such a big movie simultaneously at theaters and online, there were four good reasons to do so:
- The pandemic
- Its belief in the importance of the theatrical experience
- Its mission to be “strong and supportive partners” for the entire Wonder Woman 1984 team
- The fans, “which is where important decisions like this should always start and should always end”
Kilar said Warner wanted to do something “firmly focused on the fans” by giving them “the power to choose between going to their local cinema or opening on HBO Max,” adding, “Super-fans will likely choose both.”
Wonder Woman 1984, starring Gal Gadot and directed by Patty Jenkins, finished filming two years ago and fans have been wondering ever since when they might actually get to see it. The COVID-19 outbreak is causing huge problems for movie studios as theaters close their doors and lots of fans stay away from those that remain open. Many blockbusters that were due for release this year have either had their theatrical releases pushed to 2021 or gone straight to streaming platforms where movie fans have had to fork out extra to watch.
“As we navigate these unprecedented times, we’ve had to be innovative in keeping our businesses moving forward while continuing to super-serve our fans,” Ann Sarnoff, CEO of Warner Bros., said in a statement. She added: “We realize that a lot of consumers can’t go back to the movies due to the pandemic, so we also want to give them the option to see Wonder Woman 1984 via our HBO Max platform.”
