Los Angeles: In a stinging critique of Warner Bros more than the strategy to release to its films each theatrically and on HBO Max, filmmaker Christopher Nolan stated the studio’s selection is motivated by its quest to save the “fledgling streaming service”.
Last week, Warner Bros had announced that it will be releasing its whole slate of films for the year 2021 each theatrically and on HBO Max.
Among the films that are set to be out there each theatrically and on HBO Max are huge-spending budget tentpoles such as Denis Villeneuve”s “Dune”, “The Suicide Squad”, monster film “Godzilla vs Kong”, and Keanu Reeves-starrer “The Matrix 4”.
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Nolan stated he is in “disbelief” more than the studio’s selection.
“Oh, I mean, disbelief. Especially the way in which they did. There’s such controversy around it, because they didn’t tell anyone. In 2021, they’ve got some of the top filmmakers in the world, they’ve got some of the biggest stars in the world who worked for years in some cases on these projects very close to their hearts that are meant to be big-screen experiences.
“They’re meant to be out there for the widest doable audiences… And now they are getting utilised as a loss-leader for the streaming service — for the fledgling streaming service — with no any consultation,” Nolan said.
The 50-year-old filmmaker called the Warner Bros’ plan a “genuine bait and switch”.
“It’s sort of not how you treat filmmakers and stars and folks who, these guys have provided a lot for these projects. They deserved to be consulted and spoken to about what was going to come about to their work,” he added.
Nolan has a long-standing partnership with Warner Bros, dating back to 2002 when he released his third directorial “Insomnia” with the studios.
Since then, the filmmaker has made his critically-acclaimed features such as “The Dark Knight” trilogy, “Inception”, “Interstellar”, “Dunkirk” and most recently “Tenet” with the studio.
In a separate statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Nolan decided to double down on his criticism as he labelled HBO Max the “worst streaming service” and studio is “dismantling” the theatrical experience.
“Some of our industry’s largest filmmakers and most significant film stars went to bed the evening prior to considering they had been operating for the greatest film studio and woke up to uncover out they had been operating for the worst streaming service,” Nolan said.
“Warner Bros. had an extraordinary machine for obtaining a filmmaker’s work out everywhere, each in theatres and in the dwelling, and they are dismantling it as we speak. They never even have an understanding of what they are losing. Their selection tends to make no financial sense, and even the most casual Wall Street investor can see the distinction in between disruption and dysfunction,” he added.
Representatives for Warner Bros. and HBO Max are yet to comment on Nolan’s remarks.
The studio’s announcement came weeks days after it decided that Gal Gadot-starrer “Wonder Woman 1984”, a sequel to 2017 blockbuster “Wonder Woman”, will debut on HBO Max as well as movie theatres on Christmas.
Like “Wonder Woman 1984”, the 17 films that Warner Bros plans to release in 2021 will be available to HBO Max subscribers for 31 days. After the one-month mark, the films will only play in theatres.
At the time, Ann Sarnoff, Chair and CEO of WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group, which includes Warner Bros. Pictures, had termed the company’s hybrid model as a “exclusive 1-year strategy”.
“With this exclusive 1-year strategy, we can assistance our partners in exhibition with a steady pipeline of globe-class films, although also providing moviegoers who might not have access to theatres or are not fairly prepared to go back to the motion pictures the likelihood to see our wonderful 2021 films,” Sarnoff had stated.