Tenet might have managed to lure a bunch of people out of their homes last weekend, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe to return to the theater. And while it would be really cool if circumstances changed at a neck-breaking pace before Wonder Woman 1984's previous October 2 release date, Warner Bros. isn’t ready to throw its gilded feature to a potentially thinner crowd just yet. So the studio is, as previously predicted, pushing WW84's release to Christmas of this year. Variety reported the news along with coupled statements from Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group chairman Toby Emmerich and director Patty Jenkins.
“Patty is an exceptional filmmaker and with Wonder Woman 1984 she has delivered an incredibly dynamic film that moviegoers of all ages around the world will absolutely love,” said Emmerich. “We’re very proud of the film and look forward to bringing it to audiences for the holidays.” Jenkins added: “Because I know how important it is to bring this movie to you on a big screen when all of us can share the experience together, I’m hopeful you won’t mind waiting just a little bit longer. With the new date on Christmas Day, we can’t wait to spend the holidays with you!”
Per Variety, Tenet’s modest Labor Day weekend haul weighed heavily into the studio’s decision to move the DC tentpole. (A $20 million gross on a movie with a reported $200 million budget might spook execs just a little bit.) In the meantime, those still willing to sojourn to the theater can check out some of the smaller releases still scheduled to hit the big screen, like Noomi Rapace’s The Secrets We Keep or Sony’s rom-com The Broken Hearts Gallery. While some may be wondering if succumbing to the preconceived allure of just streaming the thing, we imagine that the Labor Day results for Disney’s Mulan isn’t inspiring any confidence at the moment, either: Per ScreenRant, the live-action remake only managed to garner $33.5 million via premium VOD on Disney+. When you consider that the first Wonder Woman blockbuster raked in $222 million in domestic and international box offices combined, well… we’ll be waiting until Warner Bros. feels mighty enough against a pandemic, that’s for sure.
21 Comments
I hope we stopped living in 1984 by Christmas, if you know what I mean.
Closer to 1918, but I get your point!
I have a hunch that the usual post holiday dinner mover outing isn’t happening this year, Patty. Something to do with a global pandemic of sorts.
Its not coming out ‘til next year. Guaranteed.
Just start filming the sequel to the sequel already.
Wonder Woman 1984 gets pushed back to ChristmasMy God! Do you know what this means? We’ll live long enough to see Christmas! Hurray!
Always look on the bright side of life, MO.
Please fulfill whatever obligation you have to the theater distribution then just shunt it VOD or streaming. You honestly think we’ll be good by Christmas?!? Goddamnit, I just thought of the headache retailers(or rather, the poor retail staff) will have in staging a Black Friday sale. No, of course, they don’y NEED to have one, but no business wants to sit idle while their competitors scoop up all their $$$$
What are you talking about? We’re getting a vaccine by Halloween! Haven’t you seen the ads?
At this point maybe they should hold it for 2024 and call it Wonder Woman 1984: The 40th Anniversary Edition.
As a Britisher I’ll never find it not weird that movies can open on Christmas Day in the US. Here almost nothing is open, except maybe gas stations or small convenience stores.
I hope that never changes, despite the desperation of some stores to have people queuing up for bargains in the early hours of the 26th.
As a Canadian, I love a good movie on Christmas Day as a palate cleanser before Boxing Day madness. Though Boxing Day sales have dropped off in favour of hopping on the States’ Black Friday bandwagon…
Stores opened at 6am on Boxing Day here last year. Tragic.
I work with a guy who used to work in retail, and the look of joy on his face when he first started this job and I let him know he didn’t need to work on either Boxing Day or New Year’s Day was something to behold.
For what it’s worth, I’m a Yank who grew up when most businesses in the States were closed on Christmas. I think it’s disgusting how many places are now open on the holiday, especially movie theaters (and I’m an atheist.) Stay the fuck home, people. It’s a goddamn holiday. The one bright spot to this pandemic is the fact it will persist through the Fall and Winter and probably spike again around Christmas forcing most of the nation to shut down with the result being that my country men and women will have no choice but to somewhat act like human beings again.I once dated a woman whose family always went to the movies on Christmas day. Our second year together I let her talk me into seeing a movie Christmas afternoon and I felt sick to my stomach, like I was the worst kind of garbage person. The experience ruined the day for me and forced me to reevaluate the woman and our relationship along with its future. We broke up that Spring and I haven’t missed her for a second.
Like you I couldn’t give a shit about the religious ramifications. I just like the idea that there is a day or two when anything that isn’t emergency related like Police, Ambulance or Fire gets to close.
Well, I don’t have a family so sometimes a Christmas Day film can be a nice distraction. Would you judged me for wanting to get out of the house were I spending the holiday alone?
A shame for your non-Christian population.
We can always stay at home and watch James Bond marathons. Isn’t that a British Xmas thing?
“’Push it from November 2019 they said…’ ‘May 2020 will be a surefire winner’ they said… ‘What could possibly go wrong?’ they said…”
I find it hard to believe Warner Bros. honestly thinks this is viable. Christ, even next Spring would be optimistic. I have to imagine this is just a gesture to keep the banks and the investors at bay. I feel for everyone who had a creative hand in the making of the film but it would make more sense to drop it as a premium pay per view on Christmas Eve and, down the road when we’ve begun to pick up the pieces, roll out an extended cut as a good old fashioned roadshow picture with Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot as hosts, a blooper reel, an exhibit of costumes, etc. You could run it in large movie palaces that can seat a big audience. Charge a $100 a ticket and give away some souvenirs. I think fans would go for it after the long winter. You won’t make a fortune but you’ll sustain interests in the movie, let the fans see it together and build excitenent for a third installment. I was a very harsh critic of anyone spending $30 to stream a movie but I’ve come to the conclusion that we’re so deep into this thing now that it’s starting to make sense with some films, just not fucking “Mulan.”
(A $20 million gross on a movie with a reported $200 million budget might spook execs just a little bit.)
Domestically. 146 Mio. globally.
As the cinema market is right no, Hollywood really needs to stop considerating the US market the most relevant factor.