It’s likely you’ve heard about the recent problems faced by WarnerMedia through reports on the inevitable demise of their DC Universe streaming service. This week saw hundreds of Warner Bros. employees laid off, including many that helped run the subscriber network. As the company deals with shakeups as part of its merger with AT&T, the future of its film slate is also in question, and some 2020 films may get bumped into next year.
The last few months have been about one thing: Tenet. While Warner Bros. has found a September date for Christopher Nolan’s oft-delayed film, CEO John Stephens told investors recently (via THR) that some of the studio’s other big 2020 releases, such as Wonder Woman 1984 and Dune, are less certain.
Stephens said, “I am not certain where those are going to go,” going on to suggest “further delays in some of the titles” as the pandemic continues to cause problems for theaters’ reopening plans.
These comments come at an interesting time. A couple of months ago the idea of a major blockbuster moving to streaming was easily dismissed, but now that Disney has made that decision with Mulan all bets are off. It’s doubtful we’ll see Wonder Woman or Dune go that way,but nothing can be ignored at this point.