On Dec. 3, Warner Bros. — the 98-year-old studio known for such gems as “Casablanca” and “The Dark Knight” — stunned Hollywood by announcingwould be available on HBO Max and in theaters on the same day in the U.S., where theaters were hobbled by the coronavirus.
“I’m both happy and relieved, because it has ultimately played out almost exactly as we hoped it would,” said Carolyn Blackwood, chief operating officer of Warner Bros. Pictures Group. “We’ve got filmmakers and talent who are now happy, we’ve got exhibitors that are happy, we’ve got audiences that are happy, and our partners at HBO Max are thrilled.”
Although the future of Warner Bros. under Discovery remains unclear, the studio’s strategy for next year and beyond is coming into focus. After this year, the Burbank studio will go with a half-and-half approach to its schedule, executives said. Of the roughly 20 movies Warner Bros. makes annually in the coming years, 10 to 12 will be designated specifically for HBO Max. The other 10 to 12 will launch in theaters exclusively for at least 45 days before they’re available for home viewing.
The studio’s 2022 theatrical film lineup features five DC movies: “The Batman” with Robert Pattinson, “Black Adam” starring Dwayne Johnson, “The Flash” with Ezra Miller, the animated feature “DC Super Pets” and James Wan’s “Aquaman 2.”