This day and date “hybrid” strategy, which mixes online with theatrical distribution, has been described by WarnerMedia as a “unique one-year plan,” although many are dubious, likely including theater owners. AMC Theatres fired off a public statement that said, “Clearly Warner Media intends to sacrifice a considerable portion of the profitability of its movie studio division, and that of its production partners and filmmakers, to subsidize its HBO Max start up. As for AMC, we will do all in our power to ensure that Warner does not do so at our expense. We will aggressively pursue economic terms that preserve our business.” Yet the die is cast, and WB’s stack 2021 line-up is headed to HBO Max for limited one month engagements following their release dates. This includes the next entry in the DC Extended Universe (or whatever it’s called these days), James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. The film allows the writer-director of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies to try and offer a similar glib sense of humor in a pseudo-sequel/reboot of 2016’s successful (but largely maligned) Suicide Squad. Margot Robbie is back as Harley Quinn, as is Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, but the film also brings in a stacked ensemble of newcomers, including Idris Elba, John Cena, Pete Davidson, Sylvester Stallone, and more. Other unusually large spectacles coming straight to your living room include Godzilla vs. Kong, the fourth (and maybe final?) film in Legendary Pictures’ MonsterVerse. The picture pits the title character of 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters against the supersized King Kong of Kong: Skull Island. Other blockbusters include Denis Villeneuve’s ambitious and cerebral attempt to adapt Frank Hubert’s epic science fiction novel, Dune, after the same text thwarted David Lynch. Elsewhere among the releases is a full-on Hollywood musical adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first Tony winning Broadway smash. Before Hamilton, there was In the Heights, which will finally be bringing lights up on Washington Heights after getting delayed from its original June 2020 release date due to COVID-19. Meanwhile horror hounds will finally get the long-anticipated third official chapter in The Conjuring franchise, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. All that and many more films of varied interest are coming to HBO Max. The full list and their release dates can be found below.
HBO Max Release Schedule for Warner Bros. Movies
Mortal Kombat – Jan. 15The Little Things – Jan. 29Tom and Jerry – March 5The Many Saints of Newark – March 12 Reminisce – April 16Godzilla vs. Kong – May 21The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It – June 4In the Heights – June 18 Space Jam: A New Legacy – July 16The Suicide Squad – Aug. 6 Judas and the Black Messiah – TBAThose Who Wish Me Dead – TBAMalignant – TBACry Macho – TBA
