‘Wonder Woman 1984’ to Debut Both on HBO Max and in Theaters

“Wonder Woman 1984” is heading to HBO Max and movie theaters on the same day.

Warner Bros., the studio behind the superhero sequel, still plans to open the movie on Christmas Day. However, it opted for a non-traditional release plan because of the pandemic.

Internationally, where HBO Max is not available, “Wonder Woman 1984” will play in theaters. The exact release date overseas is unknown.

But with 50% of U.S. theaters out of operation, including major moviegoing markets like New York and Los Angeles, and many still hesitant to go to the movies, the studio decided it was too risky to open another $200 million-budgeted film on the big screen in the middle of the coronavirus crisis without a safety net like HBO Max. Plus, Warner Bros. is hoping to drive subscribers to HBO Max, which has struggled to punch up against Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus.

“Wonder Woman” generated over $800 million globally in 2017 and became a cultural touchstone as one of the rare comic book movies to spotlight a female superhero, solidifying itself as one of Warner Bros.’ most important properties. The sequel has been delayed numerous times amid the pandemic. It was originally scheduled for June 5 before moving to Aug. 14, then Oct. 2 and later Dec. 25.

More to come…