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The decision to put the entire 2021 studio slate on HBO Max at the same time as theaters is “an appropriate decision for the time being,” Stankey said in an interview broadcast on the Washington post website. “Hey, we’ve got a bunch of movies ready to go, and they’ve been on the shelf.” (Check out the full interview with David Ignatius from The Post above, with WarnerMedia’s comments starting at 43:30.)
After having tested “a few different concepts”, including an ultimately starred theatrical race for Principle, in addition to studying the movements of rival companies, the WarnerMedia team decided to pull the trigger. At the end of the day, Stankey said, the executives didn’t believe that “just pushing them until people felt safe to go back to the movies was the right answer.
In part, the move could throw a “lifeline” for cinemas, which he says will have “a role” in the entertainment industry beyond the pandemic, he said. But it was also an effort to avoid a “bubble” of high-end versions that will fight for the big screens once the vaccines launch and theaters come out of closures.
“When we think about the dynamic that’s going on with all of those who are creating great theatrical content right now, it kind of creates this big bubble,” Stankey said. “Once we see that the consumer is ready to come back to a theater, if all of a sudden everyone publishes their inventory, then that won’t be a good thing either because there is only a certain amount of theater in progress that the population will do at any time. “
However, the company’s belief was primarily that “we’re going to have some really good content here that spoils itself and can be used for other purposes,” Stankey said.
“Our data suggests that a large number of customers will not feel comfortable, even if they are movie buffs, doing so anytime in the middle of,” 2021, he said. “We’re going to be fine into the end of next year before we see infection rates and the population as a whole gain the confidence to be more vibrant in society and start doing things like going to the theater again. ‘Sit. a two hour film. So we think this is appropriate for this time and circumstance and we are fortunate as a company to have invested in a streaming platform where we can have the ability to do both and let consumers choose. .
Despite the success of exhibition stocks, Stankey says WarnerMedia is not abandoning theatrical release models, which have proven to be lucrative for big studios, even though their components may be old school.
“I think movie theaters continue to play a role in society,” he said. “It’s an experience for the right kind of content that people will want to continue to have. But look, the storytelling on scripted content just gets better and better. The experience of watching this content at home in a comfortable environment, with large screens, and having the convenience of watching it when you want to watch it just got better and better. So there is no doubt that we will see changes in consumer behavior and these will continue.
Despite gloomy statements after the news broke, however, “I don’t believe yesterday was the day that was the end,” Stankey said. “I just think it’s another day in a chain of data points heading in particular directions.”
Ignatius asked if previous business approaches would resume once theaters reopen and the pandemic recedes, or if customers expect all new movies to air day in and day out. “In March, we released a new standard in society,” he said. “This horse left the barn. I don’t think any of us will change this dynamic.
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