It is hard to lure audiences back to theatres amidst the pandemic. Warner Bros. learned this the hard way after the release of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. Even though the film has made a decent amount of money internationally, but it has failed to bring the audience back in huge numbers in the United States. This has caused the studio to change their plans.
What does this change of plan mean? It means that the studio has now delayed its next big-budget movie. They have postponed the much-anticipated Wonder Woman 1984 to Christmas. Earlier, the film was going to come out on October 2.
The pandemic has forced moviegoers in the U.S. to refrain from going to theatres. About 25% of U.S. Theatres remain closed, which includes the top markets of Los Angeles and New York. Further, the theatres are also operating at as reduced capacity, making it more problematic for the theatre owners.
While Christopher Nolan’s Tenet collected $20 million during its opening weekend in North America, including two weeks showing in Canada, still the film has failed to draw an audience in huge numbers as one expects from a Nolan film.
Some people are saying that Tenet has earned decent money, considering the current circumstances, giving a glimmer of hope to other producers and distributors that people will flock to theatres for other films too.
Though, big studios believe otherwise. Warner Bros. has made a statement with the delay of Wonder Woman 1984. It means that the studio is not willing to risk releasing a big-budget film, with the pandemic making it difficult to earn huge returns. Even Universal Studios followed Warner Bros. and subsequently pushed their thriller, Candyman from October 16 to sometime next year.
Director, Jordan Peele has produced Universal’s Candyman. While Wonder Woman 1984 is pushed ahead, we may first see the next big-budget film in the form of Marvel’s Black Widow, set to release on November 6.
On the other hand, away from the limelight, studios are ready to release small budgeted films. Sony Pictures is releasing their small-budget film, rom-com “Broken Hearts Gallery”, this weekend.
Further, in a press release, Toby Emmerich, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, the chairman said :
“We’re very proud of the film and look forward to bringing it to audiences for the holidays.”
Indeed a wise decision from Warner Bros. looking at the current scenario. So, you’ll have to wait longer for watching your most anticipated films on the big screen again.
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