Go to the movie theater or find something on a streaming service? It's a burning Friday night question, but cinephiles don't have to choose between the theatrical releases and the couch.
Now, movie studios are often releasing their latest movies for streaming shortly after theatrical release — sometimes even on the same day.
One of the biggest players in this push to stream is Warner Bros., which is counting on a one-two punch of theatrical release and same-day release on HBO Max, according to Yahoo! Entertainment. The studio will return to exclusive theatrical release in 2022, but with a much shorter window before release to streaming — just 45 days, according to The Verge.
The rapid-fire releases are part of a strategy to lure moviegoers back and recover box office revenue during 2021, according to The Wrap. According to Yahoo! Finance, the movie industry lost an estimated $32 billion in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Warner Bros., which produced Wonder Woman 1984, isn't the only studio to experiment with a hybrid of streaming and in-theater viewing. Disney — the producers of Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar movies — has announced that it will continue to prioritize its streaming service Disney+, according to ScreenRant. Disney just recently enjoyed the successful hybrid release of Raya and the Last Dragon on Disney+ and in theaters, according to Yahoo! Entertainment.
All of this comes down to one thing: More choices for moviegoers. Soon, you'll likely get to decide whether you head to the theater or stay home in your jammies to take in a new release.
