Wonder Woman 1984: Why You Can’t Watch The Sequel In 4K On HBO Max

Warner Bros. has reconfirmed Wonder Woman’s December 25 release date, while announcing that the long-awaited sequel will debut simultaneously on HBO Max. This is certainly good news for fans who finally want to watch the film but cannot see it safely in theaters. There is, however, one problem to be aware of. You won’t be able to stream the movie in 4K, why such an omission with the biggest superhero movie release of 2020? Here’s a quick rundown of why 4K is banned and why Roku users will have their own hurdles to overcome.
WW84 will not stream in 4K because HBO Max has not yet added an option to stream 4K content. This was one of many complaints directed at the streamer in our initial HBO Max review for July 2020, and it’s a loophole WarnerMedia has yet to address. While most competitors like Amazon Prime Video, Disney +, and Netflix offer a selection of 4K content (standard or under a higher price point), HBO Max’s library peaks at 1080p, a resolution almost as high. dated as Steve Trevor’s parachute pants.

This despite the fact that WarnerMedia’s other big streaming service, DC Universe, has been offering 4K videos and even 4K comics since launch. Unfortunately, there is no indication that Wonder Woman 1984 will appear on DC Universe in addition to HBO Max. This service is relaunched as the comic-focused DC Universe Infinite in January 2021, which means available 4K DC video content will disappear faster than Batman ending a conversation with Commissioner Gordon.

IGN has reached out to Warners for comment, but they have only confirmed that no 4K content is currently available on the streaming service.

Wonder Woman’s Home Video Release

That’s not to say Wonder Woman will never be available to stream in 4K. As previously stated, the movie is only added to HBO Max for 30 days, after which it will be released exclusively in theaters. Presumably, Warners will release WW84 on home video in early 2021 (likely February or March depending on the success of the theatrical release), at which point 4K will finally come into the picture.

Warners has always been one of the biggest supporters of the 4K Ultra HD format, so there is no reason to assume that Wonder Woman 1984 will not be sold in this format and as a 4K digital purchase. This requires making a separate purchase rather than just streaming the movie through HBO Max, but for now, it may be the only option to watch Wonder Woman 1984 in 4K.

There is no HBO Max on Roku

It’s also worth pointing out that customers who use a Roku as their primary streaming device are likely to face additional issues with Wonder Woman 1984. At the time of publication, there is still no dedicated HBO Max app. for Roku. This is the result of ongoing negotiation issues between WarnerMedia and Roku.

There is two good news on this front, however. First off, WarnerMedia recently struck a deal with Amazon to finally make HBO Max available on Fire TV devices. A deal with Roku could be struck just as suddenly. And given the number of new subscribers Wonder Woman 1984 is likely to attract, WarnerMedia has every interest in making a deal before December 25.

Second, there is a way to stream HBO Max to a Roku without relying on a dedicated app. Hulu offers subscribers the option to add HBO Max content for an additional fee, just as it does for premium cable networks like Starz, Showtime, and Cinemax. The price is the same as for a normal HBO Max subscription ($ 15 per month) and it has the added benefit of bundling two streaming services under one app.

Will you be streaming Wonder Woman 1984 on HBO Max. Are you waiting for an indoor screening or a 4K option? Let us know in the comments below.

Jesse is a mild-mannered writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by follow @jschedeen on Twitter.