Warner Bros. Move: Have Cinemas Been Powerless For Years?

Since the dawn of streaming services and maybe even before then, film lovers have been pondering the end of movie theatres. The details were always up for discussion, but many seemed to agree that the end would come in the next few years. The pandemic changed this. Suddenly, the end seems nearer than ever. We were left wondering: what can theatres do to save themselves during this time of crisis? The truth is, not much.

Then Warner Bros. made an announcement. In 2021, all their movies, including Dune, The Matrix 4 and The Suicide Squad, will come out on HBO Max at the same time they are released in cinemas, effectively closing the window theatres depend on to make money. As concern for the cinematic experience (and Christopher Nolan’s sanity) ravaged film Twitter, WB was the target of heavy criticism, from fans and creators alike.

Denis Villeneuve’s striking essay for Variety advocates for the uniqueness of the cinematic experience. He writes: “I strongly believe the future of cinema will be on the big screen, no matter what any Wall Street dilettante says.” It is not a coincidence that his films are some of the most cinematic out there: watching them in a theatre drastically changes the experience, not only because of the striking visuals, but because the themes explored in a film like Blade Runner 2049 can only be fully appreciated in the silent sanctity of a theatre.

As one of the most outspoken protectors of the cinematic experience, Nolan said: “Some of our industry’s biggest filmmakers and most important movie stars went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service.” In fact, AT&T’s decision comes only months after WB decided to throw its weight behind Tenet, posing it as the movie that will save cinemas. Of course, given the status of the world now, this was more an expression of wishful thinking rather than a statement based on reality.

However, this decision did not come from Warner Bros. alone. In fact, the studio is owned by WarnerMedia, which is owned by AT&T. This is important because this move has ‘corporate overlords’ written all over it. Even though it was WarnerMedia chair and CEO Ann Sarnoff who announced the move, AT&T is responsible for it. Even without reading the reports who confirm this theory, one only needs to look at how this decision was made. Theatres were not consulted. Creators were ignored. Compromises were thrown out. The holistic approach and the flexibility others have shown in their release methods was left behind in favour of a winner-take-all approach. This is not the move of someone who cares or even knows the industry.

Because this would’ve turned out very differently if precautions were taken. I could sit here describing how announcing this for only the first six months of 2021 would’ve been different, or even wondering how different the reaction might have been had creators and theatres been consulted. But the reality is that this would be a pointless exercise. This measure was taken with the sole purpose of bolstering HBO Max’s wavering popularity.

Read more: No Films, But We’re Open: Working At A Cinema During A Pandemic

The sad reality is that theatres have little say in the matter. On one side, the safety measures put in place by the government are likely to stunt their growth, even if people are allowed to go. Then, one must consider how likely it is for viewers to put themselves in a position where their safety and that of others might be at risk, when the streaming alternative is so accessible. After all, theatres have been neglecting the preservation of the experience themselves. From not combatting the invasiveness of cell phones to increasing prices, many were already put off by the experience before the pandemic. But really, it all comes down to the studios. Studios are the guardians of this art form: with one swift decision, they could single handedly end the cinematic experience, transforming movies forever.

However money-hungry, Disney is at heart an entertainment corporation. They understand the market and the inherent value of theatres, which admittedly have been making them a lot of money. It is not only about the box office: the toys, the merchandise, the ads, the parks. Theatre experiences like Avengers: Endgame create entire generations of fans, fuelling a kind of excitement that will inevitably lead to more consumerism. And despite how cynical that may sound, it is the reason we still have theatres. Disney knows how important it is for studios to preserve this experience. In their most recent investor’s day, they showed no intention to follow the AT&T strategy. They know that they have the power in the relationship: after the acquisition, they started banning exhibitions of Fox films by locking them in the infamous vault. Therefore, while studios like Disney exist, and can still profit off of theatres, the cinematic experience will be allowed to exist.

With the end of this pandemic closer than ever, all theatres can do to preserve their existence is remind studios of their importance, while improving the experience for the viewer.

Words by Elisabetta Pulcini

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