Despite pretty solid reviews, Warner Bros.’ recent superhero film, “Birds of Prey” (or “Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey,” if you follow box office news), didn’t have a great theatrical run. The film debuted at #1 but failed to excite the fanbase in a way that superhero films bank on. And before the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic shut down theaters around the world, ‘Birds’ barely was able to cross the $200 million milestone globally, which is a mark many thought the film would achieve in a matter of days. Regardless, the pandemic has changed things, and now, ‘Birds’ finds it way to VOD much quicker than originally anticipated, which is good news in the eyes of director Cathy Yan.
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Speaking to The New York Times, Yan talked about the decision to release the film on VOD only two months after it hit theaters and why she thinks her superhero film could be a good antidote for the craziness going on in the world today.
However, before she talked about that, the filmmaker was asked the question that haunts many directors, especially those that find their films not doing well at the box office—have you second-guessed yourself after its release?
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“Of course you do,” replied Yan. “The movie is of such a scale — as its director, there are things that you control and things that you don’t, things that were definitely above my pay grade as well. You have to let go of certain things, unfortunately. I had gotten kind of used to it, trying to stick to your instincts whenever you can, but also understanding that it’s an extremely collaborative process to make a movie.”
No matter if she would have changed things knowing the box office fate the film would receive or not, “Birds of Prey” is now available on VOD, which means fans who skipped the flick in theaters can watch from the comfort of their own home. And in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yan thinks this is absolutely the right move.
“I still think the best viewing experience will always be with a big crowd, the best sound and all of that,” the filmmaker said. “I was really inspired by what Universal did, to release theatrical movies on VOD quicker. I thought that was great.”
She added, “It’s meant to be a fun, empowering, crazy, laugh-out-loud ride. It lets you disengage from the world for a little bit, so I hope that it can bring some light to people’s lives right now.”
“Birds of Prey” is available now on VOD.