Wonder Woman 1984's streaming release strategy seems bad for everyone

Nobody wins

Wonder Woman.
(Image credit: Illustrated | iStock, Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Comics)

For weeks, Wonder Woman 1984 has been the last remaining blockbuster on the 2020 calendar. The obstinate holdouts No Time to Die, Black Widow, and Death on the Nile long ago fled for the warmer climes of 2021, while Wonder Woman 1984 has conspicuously clung to its already much-delayed Dec. 25 release date, prompting speculation about what Warner Bros. might do with the film.

Now we know: Wonder Woman 1984 will be released both theatrically and to WarnerMedia's streaming service, HBO Max, where it will be available for a month. It's a radical move, surpassing other studios' more modest attempts to shorten theatrical windows, and has the potential to upend the entire industry. It's also a terrible decision for everyone involved.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.