Christopher Nolan Criticizes Warner Bros.
The Hollywood Reporter reports comments from director Christopher Nolan relaying his immense displeasure with the recent decision from Warner Bros. to release several upcoming films on their HBO Max streaming service.
During an exclusive interview with the publication, the acclaimed filmmaker, who has collaborated with Warner Bros. in producing and distributing the last nine of his eleven films, had some very harsh words to say regarding the most recent corporate decisions out of the production company.
Last week, it was announced that Warner Bros. would be releasing 17 of their upcoming and, in some cases, most anticipated films, jointly in theaters (where they are open) and at home on their HBO Max streaming service.
Among the movies contained in Warner Bros’ announcement was the company’s entire 2021 release slate, including such anticipated blockbusters as “Dune,” “The Suicide Squad,” “Tom & Jerry,” “Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Mortal Kombat,” “In the Heights,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” and “The Matrix 4.” Most of these films were originally set for release in 2020 or earlier in 2021 but were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This decision came after the announcement that “Wonder Woman 1984” will pioneer this dual-release method when it hits cinemas and HBO Max for no extra charge on December 25th.
When asked about this new decision from Warner Bros., Nolan had this to say:
“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. Warner Bros. had an incredible machine for getting a filmmaker’s work out everywhere, both in theaters and in the home, and they are dismantling it as we speak. They don’t even understand what they’re losing. Their decision makes no economic sense, and even the most casual Wall Street investor can see the difference between disruption and dysfunction.”
Most shocking was how Nolan outright called HBO Max “the worst streaming service.” It is unclear how these comments will affect Nolan’s collaboration with Warner Bros in the future of his career.
Nolan, a known advocate for the theatrical film experience, recently released his latest film “Tenet” in an attempt to spearhead the potential reopening of theaters in the wake of the pandemic last September. The film, produced and distributed by Warner Bros., was met with generally positive critical reviews but a lackluster box office performance, bringing in a measly $360 million on a $200 million production budget.
Still unknown is what this decision from Warner Bros means for the future of movie theaters and the nature of cinema, and how it will affect the box office with more emphasis on streaming.
Cinephiles around the world will be eagerly watching the numbers behind the trailblazing release of “Wonder Woman 1984” on Christmas Day to see how feasible an alternative this release format is for Warner Bros.’ upcoming 2021 slate.
Tenet will release on 4K Ultra-HD, Blu-Ray, and DVD on December 15th in the United States and internationally.