This time last week, it was widely reported that Warner Bros. was debating two alternative strategies for releasing its thrice-delayed, much-anticipated tentpole Wonder Woman 1984. One approach was to hold on to a Christmas Day theatrical release and then a few weeks later make it available to viewers as a PVOD rental on HBO Max. The other approach was to push back the theatrical release for a 5th time, with a new date likely to land sometime in the summer of 2021. In the end, the studio chose neither of these options, announcing this week that WW1984 would open on Christmas Day both in US theatres and on HBOMax. In international markets where HBOMax is not available, WW1984 will open in theatres nine days earlier on 12/16. While not all exhibitors have signed on to support WB’s day-and-date release, both AMC Theatres and Independent Cinema Alliance (ICA) have made public statements in support of the plan, indicating that it is an opportunity to bring movie-goers back to the theatres.
See also: Wonder Woman Set for Full Theatrical Release in China (Hollywood Reporter)