Patty Jenkins begs fans to see ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ on ‘biggest screen they can find’
Director Christopher Nolan isn’t keen on Warner Bros.’ plans to release its 2021 slate in a combination of theatrical and streaming options, but “Wonder Woman 1984” filmmaker Patty Jenkins is actually pretty excited about her movie’s hybrid debut on Christmas Day.
“I make films because of communion with audiences,” Jenkins told SiriusXM this week. “That’s the point, you know. And so this is it on such a heightened level.”
She also said movie-theater owners had asked that the studio release “Wonder Woman 1984” in areas where people were allowed to attend in person. But at every discussion of the topic, they realized there was “no good time” to debut. What were they waiting for? And did they want to compete with every other movie, if things were released en masse at some future date?
“Wonder Woman 1984,” which is expected to be a blockbuster, has had its release date changed multiple times over the last year. Most recently, it was moved from Oct. 2 to Dec. 25.
“I literally gasped a little bit when the pitch for this idea was said, because I was like, ‘The idea of it going into people’s homes on Christmas Day,’” Jenkins said, noting that even though she had approved all the footage, she was still aching to experience the “tone” of “WW84” in its entirety.
“Like, I just want escape,” she said. “I want to watch a movie that takes me away a little bit.”
In Southern California, that can’t happen in a theater right now.
COVID-19 has had a severe impact on everything from theaters and production to agencies and cable news. Some parts of the business may never be the same.
At least some movie theaters were open in 39 states when Nolan’s $200-million “Tenet” showed up on Labor Day weekend. After a $20.2-million opening domestically, the film went on to gross nearly $360 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. More than $302 million of that was earned overseas.
Nolan, who has a long history working with Warner Bros., blasted the studio’s recent announcement about its 2021 slate, which will pair theatrical openings with a one-month run on sister streaming service HBO Max — which Nolan called “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,” the “Inception” director told the Hollywood Reporter in a statement Monday. “Their decision makes no economic sense, and even the most casual Wall Street investor can see the difference between disruption and dysfunction.”
AT&T’s John Stankey defends WarnerMedia decision to put Warner Bros.’ entire 2021 film slate on HBO Max, saying the company had to do something bold.
Jenkins, however, seemed to see things a little differently.
“It’s cool. It’s super cool, the timing,” she told Sirius XM.
“I’m so, so, so, so, so excited that people are going to see our film, however, wherever. But I beg them, pick the biggest screen they can find. Please.”
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