Streaming killed the cinema star: Warner Bros to ditch cinema in 2022

HBO Max says it’s ditching the movie release model in favour of launching upcoming films straight to streaming platforms as soon as 2022

HBO Max says it will release 10 Warner Bros films directly to streaming channels in 2022; and they don’t plan on turning back. That is, some new films will make it to your favourite streaming platform at the same time as they make it to the cinema.

The chief of WarnerMedia Jason Kilar says he “doesn’t anticipate” us going back to the way the world was in 2015. He says the company will continue using its hybrid streaming and theatrical model that it initially launched as a ‘pandemic model’.

This comes after Warner Bros released a full slate of films in a trial model this year, including blockbusters like Judas and the Black Messiah, Godzilla vs. Kong, Space Jam and Matrix 4.

“I don’t anticipate us going back”

WarnerMedia chief Jason Kilar says while “the motion picture format absolutely matters,” the company also feels “very good about the response that consumers have given it in the home.”

“I certainly don’t anticipate us going back to the way the world was in 2015 or ’16 or ’17, where windows were quite lengthy between theatrical and home exhibition, whether it was an a la carte transaction or something else,” Kilar said.

“I think that what you’re going to see is this industry continue to evolve and to continue to innovate in ways that not only works for consumers and fans, but also works for our business partners”.