Independent Cinema Alliance Disappointed With Warner Bros.’ HBO Max Deal, Calls for ‘Theatrical Exclusivity’

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Over the past couple of weeks, since the announcement that WarnerMedia is releasing all of the 2021 WB films on HBO Max the same day as in theaters, it appears that almost every filmmaker that has publicly spoken about the move has disagreed with the idea of collapsing the theatrical window. And those that understand the decision are still upset that WarnerMedia didn’t warn filmmakers before the announcement.

Though the recent deal between Warner Bros. and HBO Max that sends the studio’s entire 2021 film lineup to the streaming service day-and-date with theaters doesn’t officially begin until January with “The Little Things,” many see “Wonder Woman 1984” as the test case for the new paradigm.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorThe news this week that HBO Max — finally — was coming to Roku devices was welcomed by millions of customers eager to stream the WarnerMedia service on their TVs and catch “Wonder Woman 1984” when it premieres on Christmas Day.But there’s a wrinkle for some Roku users who want to get HBO Max.Under its agreement with WarnerMedia, Roku is no longer selling the legacy standalone HBO channel through its Roku Channel store.

The deal ended a seven-month standoff between Roku and WarnerMedia, HBO Max’s parent company, insuring the streaming service would be available to Roku’s 46 million active accounts by Christmas Day, when “Wonder Woman 1984” is set to debut on the service.Roku opened at $346 per share on Thursday, easily topping its previous all-time high of $336.17, set earlier this month.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorWonder Woman and HBO Max are giving Roku a power-up on Wall Street.On Thursday, shares of Roku were up over 7% in early trading coming the day after the company announced a pact with AT&T’s WarnerMedia to add HBO Max to its streaming devices following months of haggling.Roku’s stock was up over $350 per share into new all-time highs.

timothée being nervous at the end, wearing that legendary hoodie, remembering to treat people with kindness…and with those hands hidden in his sleeves is all the world need to be a batter place …tonight

timothée being nervous at the end, wearing that legendary hoodie, remembering to treat people with kindness…and with those hands hidden in his sleeves is all the world need to be a batter place …tonight

Eli Countryman Warner Bros. drew attention in early December when it announced plans to simultaneously release all of its films in theaters and on HBO Max throughout 2021.The decision, affecting 17 major films from “The Matrix 4″ to “Dune,” highlights just how important streaming services have become in the past year.

will simultaneously debut in movie theaters and stream on HBO Max on Christmas due to the coronavirus.Pandemic aside, Gen X only knew Lynda Carter as the small screen's Diana Prince and would have had no inclination of the streaming wars to come.

Denis Villeneuve, the director of the upcoming Dune remake, is not happy that Warner Bros. plans on releasing his movie on HBO Max on the same day as the theatrical release.

industry-shaking move to put its 2021 slate on HBO Max day-and-date with theaters.Villeneuve, in an op-ed written for Variety, said he only learned about the fate of his film by reading the news, and that he had agreed to push “Dune” back almost a year, from winter 2020 to October 2021. He says a movie of this scope can’t hope to be financially viable and will succumb to piracy.“With this decision, AT&T has hijacked one of the most respectable and important studios in film history.

Denis Villeneuve I learned in the news that Warner Bros. has decided to release “Dune” on HBO Max at the same time as our theatrical release, using prominent images from our movie to promote their streaming service.

Dave McNary Film ReporterThe Directors Guild of America has criticized Warner Bros. over the studio’s decision to release its entire 2021 theatrical slate simultaneously on the HBO Max streaming service, according to a report in The Hollywood Reporter.DGA National Executive Director Russell Hollander sent a letter to Warner Bros.

The fallout of the controversial move by WarnerMedia to push all of its 2021 WB films to HBO Max and in theaters on the same day is still being felt in Hollywood as the big picture of what this deal means continues to become more clear. Basically, it’s been a really rough week for WarnerMedia, as stars, filmmakers, and guilds have been just a few of the entities upset with this unprecedented move.

The Independent Cinema Alliance, a volunteer alliance of independent cinemas operating in North America, has responded to WarnerMedia’s theatrical-HBO Max 2021 slate day and date release strategy and they’re not pleased. They’re calling on studio of Stanley Kubrick, Clint Eastwood and Harry Potter to recommit to theatrical exclusivity, for that is what drives value to movies, not streaming.

Christopher Nolan, who was doing consumer press interviews today for the DVD release of Tenet, was asked about that movie’s film studio, Warner Bros., and their recent radical windows plan to drop their entire 2021 slate both in theaters and on their struggling frosh streaming service HBO Max at the same time. It was a move last Thursday that blindsided both film co-financiers and talent, leaving them irate.

Legendary Entertainment, the production company behind movies like Dune and Godzilla vs. Kong, reportedly is considering filing a lawsuit against Warner Bros. over the studio’s new release plans for the movies.

Dave McNary Film ReporterChristopher Nolan, who has supplied Warner Bros. with multiple blockbusters, has expressed deep dissatisfaction with the studio’s decision to release its entire 2021 theatrical slate simultaneously on the HBO Max streaming service“There’s such controversy around it, because they didn’t tell anyone,” said Nolan in an ET Online interview released Monday.