Warner Bros. is releasing its 2021 movies straight to streaming

This year has been long and arduous, leaving most people longing for things to return to normal. But if you are hesitant to rush back into crowded spaces like malls and movie theaters, you will have the opportunity to view some new movies from the comfort and safety of your own home well into 2021.

Warner Bros. Pictures Group announced that its anticipated slate of feature films for 2021 be released theatrically worldwide. But, in the U.S., they will be presented for an exclusive one-month access period on the HBO Max streaming platform at the same time.

HBO Max, which launched in 2019, is another product from Warner Bros. parent company AT&T. Here’s a video Warner Bros. released on YouTube to showcase the news:

https://youtu.be/bGy16GQHz-g

“We’re living in unprecedented times, which call for creative solutions, including this new initiative for the Warner Bros. Pictures Group,” Ann Sarnoff, Chair and CEO, WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group, said in the announcement, “No one wants films back on the big screen more than we do. We know new content is the lifeblood of theatrical exhibition, but we have to balance this with the reality that most theaters in the U.S. will likely operate at reduced capacity throughout 2021.”

Sarnoff goes on to call the hybrid, one-year plan a “win-win for film lovers and exhibitors,” giving movie-lovers who don’t yet have access to or are not ready to go back to theaters the opportunity to enjoy new movies.

Jason Kilar, CEO of WarnerMedia, stated that the content is not valuable if it’s just sitting on a shelf and that the company concluded the plan is the best option for the coming year.

“After considering all available options and the projected state of moviegoing throughout 2021, we came to the conclusion that this was the best way for WarnerMedia’s motion picture business to navigate the next 12 months,” Kilar said. “More importantly, we are planning to bring consumers 17 remarkable movies throughout the year, giving them the choice and the power to decide how they want to enjoy these films.”

Currently, the expected release slate includes the following feature films:

• “The Little Things”
• “Judas and the Black Messiah”
• “Tom & Jerry”
• “Godzilla vs. Kong”
• “Mortal Kombat”
• “Those Who Wish Me Dead”
• “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It”
• “In The Heights”
• “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
• “The Suicide Squad”
• “Reminiscence”
• “Malignant”
• “Dune”
• “The Many Saints of Newark”
• “King Richard”
• “Cry Macho”
• “Matrix 4”

Previously, Warner Bros. had announced that the highly-anticipated “Wonder Woman 1984” would be coming to HBO Max as well as theaters on Christmas Day in the U.S., although it will premiere in cinemas on Dec. 16 outside the country. AMC Entertainment, the owner of the largest chain of theaters in the U.S., says it has started a dialogue with Warner Bros. regarding a move AMC sees as a “sacrifice” of its profits in favor of HBO Max.

Are you excited about seeing these films at home the day they’re released?