When WarnerMedia announced that “Wonder Woman 1984” would have a day-and-date release dropping on HBO Max at the same time as theaters, it sounded from various reports that it was a contractual situation that has been resolved before the announcement. This made their other announcement about all 2021 releases following the hybrid releases without working out deals with talent and production partners extremely puzzling.
READ MORE: ‘Wonder Woman 3’ In Development With Patty Jenkins Returning To Write And Direct
However, director Patty Jenkins happens to share a similar opinion about the day-and-date release model as fellow directing peers Christopher Nolan (“Tenet“) and Denis Villeneuve (“Dune“). The duo was vocal in the press about being strongly against the hybrid release model, with Nolan reportedly seeking a new studio home as part of that fallout with talent.
Yesterday, Patty Jenkins spoke at a CinemaCon luncheon via Deadline, calling the hybrid model “the best choice in a bunch of bad choices at the moment” and a “heartbreaking experience.”
“It was detrimental to the movie…I knew that could have happened.” She continued, “I don’t think it plays the same on streaming, ever. I’m not a fan of day-and-date, and I hope to avoid it forever.”
When asked about making movies for Netflix, the filmmaker said, “I like working with Netflix for television; I wouldn’t make a movie there or any streaming service with those terms.”
Villeneuve recently mentioned putting theatrical exclusivity into future film contracts; it will be interesting to see if other filmmakers follow that lead.
Jenkins is currently in prep mode for Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: Rogue Squadron” with screenwriter Matthew Robinson (“Edge of Tomorrow 2“) handling the script and “Wonder Woman” production designer Aline Bonetto attached to the crew. Despite what sounds like gripes with WarnerMedia, she’s still returning with star Gal Gadot to eventually make “Wonder Woman 3,” rounding out her DC Comics trilogy.