Warner Bros. will release all of its new 2021 movies on Theaters and HBO Max simultaneously

The already considerable stakes of the Streaming Wars were heftily raised today with the seismic announcement that Warner Bros. will be premiering their full slate of 2021 films on HBO Max simultaneously with their theatrical releases. Jason Kilar, the CEO of Warner Media, sent shock waves throughout the entertainment industry last month with his decision to debut Wonder Woman 1984, a $200M movie that likely would have grossed north of $1 billion worldwide theatrically, on HBO Max on Christmas Day, 2020. That risky move, though, looks like a drop in the pond when compared to today’s decision, which will see 17 big budget, high octane films going straight into the living rooms of HBO Max subscribers in the United States throughout the entirety of 2021.

The movies Warner Bros. is planning to release for now include: 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, and Matrix 4. These titles could change depending on delays. All films will be released on HBO Max in 4K Ultra HD and HDR. The moves will also likely help Warner Media reach an agreement with Roku after months of fighting over a deal. Warner Media is also offering a limited deal, making HBO Max 22 percent cheaper for people who sign up for six months. The $69.99 price works out to just under $12 a month instead of $15.

“We’re living in unprecedented times which call for creative solutions, including this new initiative for the Warner Bros. Pictures Group,” said Warner Bros. CEO Ann Sarnoff. “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.”

With movie theaters struggling at home and abroad in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, Kilar’s gamble instantly transforms HBO Max from a second tier “nice to have” subscription streaming service into a first tier, “must subscribe” option for movie lovers. Regardless of how this move shakes out for Warner Media (as a business) and Hollywood (as a whole), the good news is that 2021 is setting up to be a phenomenal year for all of us home entertainment enthusiasts.