The last two weeks have been filled with a constant outpour of news from the movie industry. First, it was WarnerMedia and HBO Max announcing they’d be taking a total of 17 movies -including Mortal Kombat- for a simultaneous release in theaters and streaming; then last week Disney revealed their extensive plans for Star Wars and Marvel in 2021 and beyond.
Ever since then, Warner’s decision has been met with a fair share of backlash from some of the studio’ most prominent directors, including Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve, with both criticizing Warner’s strategy, considering it dismissive of the artists’ efforts in making those films, as well as a severe hit on the moviegoing experience audiences and directors who would hope for more standard theatrical releases.
Despite all that, Warner Bros. is moving on with its announced plans, with the studio just sharing updated release dates for two of their films involved in the deal, Mortal Kombat and Tom & Jerry. This would see Tom & Jerry land in theaters on February 26 and Mortal Kombat on April 16. Both films premier on HBO Max day and date, where subscribers will be able to enjoy them for 31 days until they move on with their normal run in cinemas.
In this new scenario, Tom & Jerry would move up one week from its previous release, probably looking to avoid a direct clash at the box office with Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon, which is slated for March. Meanwhile, the news for Mortal Kombat also came with the announcement that a trailer for the movie would be available as early as January 2021.
There is still a lot for audiences to dissect from how Warner and Disney’s decisions will impact the industry in 2021, with both studios standing on opposite sides of the spectrum. There’s been some speculation from movie insiders pointing to Warner’s decision being partly motivated by what was perceived as an overall weaker movie offering, where Dune, The Matrix 4, Godzilla vs. Kong, and The Suicide Squad are expected to take a load off the shoulders of more unreliable performers like Space Jam, Mortal Kombat and Tom & Jerry.
In any case, the results from WarnerMedia’s play are yet to be seen, though with Wonder Woman 1984 edging closer, it won’t be long until there’s at least one solid example of how successful this approach can be.
Tom & Jerry is now scheduled for release in theaters and HBO Max on April 16, 2021
Mortal Kombat is now scheduled for release in theaters and HBO Max on February 26, 2021