In a decision that will both cause the film industry to reevaluate the way it releases movies, and cause further the suffering of the movie theater business, Warner Bros has decided to release their entire slate of 2021 movies on the same day as they will be available to stream on HBO Max.
This includes blockbusters like The Matrix 4, Space Jam, and Dune, in addition to Wonder Woman 1984 on Christmas.
We should all be worried about our movie theaters here in Orlando. Thousands of jobs put further into jeopardy, and hundreds more that will never return from their COVID 19 absence.
And we must also remember the stores and restaurants anchored by those theaters that will also continue to suffer from the lack of cars in their lots, in areas such as Disney, UCF, and Altamonte Springs.
All because these studios refuse to wait.
The big winner here will be HBO, who will only see their subscribers rise temporarily. And not enough to offset what the other studios decide to do.
If Disney follows their example, hold on, because we’ll see more layoffs in addition to what we’ve already seen from the parks here in Orlando.
As the vaccine eventually becomes available, let’s try to carefully take care of our movie theaters and their employees. They’re our neighbors too.
And as we move through the holiday season and into 2021, let’s hope this special part of our past can find a way to survive. If it wasn’t in danger before, it most certainly is now.