Fans were excited when Warner Bros. announced that Wonder Woman 1984 would be available on HBO Max on Christmas Day. Turns out, that was just the start of what is going to be a big 12 months for the streaming service.
Warner Bros. on Thursday announced that its entire 2021 film slate — from The Suicide Squad to Matrix 4 — will be available on HBO Max for free to coincide with their theatrical releases. That’s huge news for the streaming service, which will immediately differentiate itself in a hugely crowded market.
The studio said the movies that hit the service will be available to watch for one month, similar to the strategy for Wonder Woman 1984, before being pulled (and presumably added again a few months later). We’ve never seen such an ambitious hybrid model, but thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, methods of content delivery are rapidly changing. Ultimately, it’s good news for consumers.
Here’s every movie coming to HBO Max in 2021:
- Mortal Kombat – Jan. 21
- The Little Things – Jan. 29
- Tom and Jerry – March 5
- The Many Saints of Newark – March 12
- Reminiscence – April 16
- Godzilla Vs. Kong – May 21
- The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It – June 4
- In the Heights – June 18
- Space Jam: A New Legacy – July 16
- The Suicide Squad – Aug. 6
- Dune – Oct. 1
- Elvis – Nov. 5
- King Richard – Nov. 19
- Matrix 4 – Dec. 22
- Judas and the Black Messiah – TBA
- Malignant – TBA
- Those Who Wish Me Dead – TBA
“We’re living in unprecedented times which call for creative solutions, including this new initiative for Warner Bros. Pictures Group,” the studio said. “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.”
There are some real heavy hitters on the list. Now the question remains: Will other studios, including Disney, follow suit? So many movies have been delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that’s no more apparent than in Disney’s lineup, which had to push back Black Widow and The Eternals (plus many others).
“We see it as a win-win for film lovers and exhibitors, and we’re extremely grateful to our filmmaking partners for working with us on this innovative response to these circumstances,” Warner Bros. said.
If you don’t have an HBO subsription, you might want to consider signing up. The service is available for $14.99 per month, and includes everything from Game of Thrones to Friends to the upcoming release of Wonder Woman 1984.