Unfortunately, Wonder Woman 1984 is being pushed into it’s release while COVID 19 numbers are still spiking in some areas of the country, and before vaccines have been approved and deployed. Warner Bros. has decided that they will release the Gal Gadot sequel on Christmas day both in theaters and on HBO Max.
The decision was a poor one. A true box office release next summer would have meant a solid and undisputably successful bow for the DC movie franchise that badly needs a win.
So what are we going to call a successful premiere for Wonder Woman 1984?
Is it going to be HBO Max subscribers? Because unless they collapse their trial period, we’re going to have a lot of viewers subscribe to the service, watch the movie, and then cancel before giving up any money for it.
Is it going to be box office revenue? Because it’s unlikely that America will be ready to return to theaters in a month. And even a lone theatrical release would still face a money shortfall right now.
This isn’t Gal Gadot’s fault. This isn’t Patty Jenkins’ fault.
And it’s certainly not your fault.
Which is why we need expectations.
We must outline what the goals will be. Wonder Woman has been the best part of this franchise so far. And it would be a shame if it fails just because some movie executives wanted to bolster some year end numbers for their own resumes.
Because failure will be tied to the film’s director and stars. Not some executive you’ve never heard of.
It’s very unlikely anyone from the film will tell you their goals. They have to give themselves some room to move regardless.
But some integrity is needed here. For everyone involved in making the movie and for more importantly the fans.