The Warner Bros. Thread | Will NOT merge with Paramount...capitalism is still terrible

[excel1]

I still haven't heard from WB, what are the hell are you waiting for? Open a BOT account and shoot me a private message!  Time to get smart. Let's turn this thing around - FAST! 

[filmlover]

35 minutes ago, cax16 said:

You’re right, universal has as well. 

They're the ones who have really done theaters still open a favor in all of this, even if it has meant only using it as a way to drop most of their titles that wouldn't have made buckets of money in any circumstance. "Theaters for a few weeks then PVOD" is probably better than simply pivoting everything to a Peacock exclusive.

 

As for theaters, they'll be fine in the long run. The existential crisis they seem to be currently facing would also apply to Broadway and concerts if they were happening right now (and not waiting until the second half of 2021 at the earliest to come back). One of these articles about the WB deal a few days ago (I think it was the one from HR) said the entire entertainment industry is expected to lose over $150B combined from all of this. Sounds about right, especially when the road to recovery won't happen overnight.

 

Edit: here it is.

 

Quote

The century-old industry, already reeling from the pace of change wrought by the entrance of deep-pocketed tech companies, has been "confronted with a reality it’s been choosing to wish away," as one veteran executive puts it. Collectively, the major entertainment companies have laid off several thousand employees this year in cost-cutting, as company leaders look to offset the $160 billion Ampere Analysis estimates the global entertainment sector will lose over the next five years due to the pandemic.

 

2020's Big Plot Twist: How 'Wonder Woman 1984' Came to Upend Hollywood's Future | Hollywood Reporter

Edited December 18, 2020 by filmlover

[Legion Again]

Tenet and WW84 are hardly some huge help to theaters. Theaters can’t do good business in 2020 because of the pandemic, and that will remain the same no matter who was releasing how many of which movies. So, I think all the studio experimentation while theaters are so diminished is basically fine. Hamilton, Mulan, Soul, WW84’s HBOMax release, Universal’s 17 day PVOD, Bill and Ted 3 going 0-day PVOD, whatever. Try it all to squeak out a little bit of money and data while you need to.    
 

What really matters is 2021, when theaters will actually need big attractive content to restart the industry as the pandemic recedes and recovery begins. So far Disney has lined up a strong buffet of blockbusters for purely theatrical release, and WB — even if they get stopped in the end — tried to send every single fucking one of their movies to 0-day SVOD. Including the November and December releases. In a desperate play for streaming subscribers. It just can’t be compared, this was a kick on the teeth to theaters which are being thrown a life raft by Disney.

Edited December 18, 2020 by WandaLegion

[cax16]

Disney was trying to prop up their streaming service and left theatres high and dry. They could of easily thrown a bone to theatres the way universal and WB has but they decided not too. 
 

I honestly don’t even care that they did it but let’s not try and pretend Disney gives a shit about theatres, the only reason they’re using them next year is cause it makes them the most profit. Let’s see what they do in the next few years as Disney+ grows. 

 

I think I’ve been pretty clear that I don’t agree at all with the plan WB has but in the end they’re all greedy corporations who only look out for themselves. 

[Legion Again]

3 minutes ago, cax16 said:

the only reason they’re using them next year is cause it makes them the most profit

Sure, that’s the why, but theaters (and those who want them to survive) should just be grateful for the what. It’s vastly better than deciding to abandon pure theatrical releases despite the profit incentives 🤣

[jimisawesome]

36 minutes ago, WandaLegion said:

Tenet and WW84 are hardly some huge help to theaters. Theaters can’t do good business in 2020 because of the pandemic, and that will remain the same no matter who was releasing how many of which movies. So, I think all the studio experimentation while theaters are so diminished is basically fine. Hamilton, Mulan, Soul, WW84’s HBOMax release, Universal’s 17 day PVOD, Bill and Ted 3 going 0-day PVOD, whatever. Try it all to squeak out a little bit of money and data while you need to.    
 

What really matters is 2021, when theaters will actually need big attractive content to restart the industry as the pandemic recedes and recovery begins. So far Disney has lined up a strong buffet of blockbusters for purely theatrical release, and WB — even if they get stopped in the end — tried to send every single fucking one of their movies to 0-day SVOD. Including the November and December releases. In a desperate play for streaming subscribers. It just can’t be compared, this was a kick on the teeth to theaters which are being thrown a life raft by Disney.

Yes Tenet and wW84 are huge help to the theaters right now.  Theaters need cash now not in 2021.  AMC goes bankrupt now not 2022.  Releasing Avengers the return of Iron Man and Captain America in Nov does not save the industry because theaters won't be in business then.  Disney could not even bother to sacrifice something like Free Guy to help keep the lights on now. 

 

Disney's 2021 lineup is not exactly the 2019 line up.  Most of the 21 movies they are releasing next year in theaters are Fox movies that will contractually go to HBO as their first TV rights so they can't move them to D+ or Hulu.   The Marvel Movies coming out next year are not exactly BP, IM and Cap.  My point being there is no Avengers or Star Wars in this lineup or any other announced 2021 lineup that would demand people into theaters.

 

If there is this strong desire to go to movies to go to movies which people keep claiming, WB decision does not matter as people will go see Dune in theaters. 

 

 

[Fullbuster]

Guys, I'm part of the rare ones here who didn't blame WB for what they did as it's forward thinking but the attempt to deflect with Disney looks like desperation, just don't!

 

 

Edited December 18, 2020 by Fullbuster

[filmlover]

As far as the survival of theaters is concerned, there have been whispers about Cinemark acquiring certain AMC theaters going around but nothing beyond that. You know the ones they would have their eyes on to pick up would be the ones with the most revenue, like the big AMC at Disney Springs (though even if that were to close, there would be a 100% chance Disney would swoop in and buy that theater themselves while in the process signing deals with the other studios to play their movies).

 

AMC Stock Swoons And Cinemark’s Takes Hit After Disputed Report Of Movie Theater Operations Scenario – Deadline

Edited December 18, 2020 by filmlover

[cax16]

1 minute ago, Fullbuster said:

Guys, I'm part of the rare ones here who didn't blame WB for whzt they did as it's forward thinking but the attempt to deflect with Disney looks like desperation, just don't!

 

 

This has nothing to do with deflecting to Disney. That’s not anyone’s point. The point is that all businesses are gonna do what they think is best for their business. I don’t care what Disney did with their releases this year but their decision hurt an already struggling industry, that’s my only point. 

[cax16]

11 minutes ago, WandaLegion said:

Sure, that’s the why, but theaters (and those who want them to survive) should just be grateful for the what. It’s vastly better than deciding to abandon pure theatrical releases despite the profit incentives 🤣

As I said I don’t agree with the WB plan and I’m hoping they change it.
 

I don’t want to see theatres die and I appreciate that Disney is still releasing movies next year. But we all know why they’re doing that lol. 

[jimisawesome]

13 minutes ago, cax16 said:

Disney was trying to prop up their streaming service and left theatres high and dry. They could of easily thrown a bone to theatres the way universal and WB has but they decided not too. 
 

I honestly don’t even care that they did it but let’s not try and pretend Disney gives a shit about theatres, the only reason they’re using them next year is cause it makes them the most profit. Let’s see what they do in the next few years as Disney+ grows. 

 

I think I’ve been pretty clear that I don’t agree at all with the plan WB has but in the end they’re all greedy corporations who only look out for themselves. 

 

If you look at the Disney release schedule I am not even sure its about profits so much as contractual obligations and/or not wanting to piss of Kevin Feige.  Over half of their schedule are Fox movies which they can't move to D+ or hulu easily.  3 of the 9 Disney movies are Marvel and another is Spielberg.  

[Legion Again]

1 minute ago, cax16 said:

But we all know why they’re doing that lol. 

Has this ever been in doubt? It sounds like we’re pretty much on the same page though.

[Fullbuster]

4 minutes ago, cax16 said:

This has nothing to do with deflecting to Disney. That’s not anyone’s point. The point is that all businesses are gonna do what they think is best for their business. I don’t care what Disney did with their releases this year but their decision hurt an already struggling industry, that’s my only point. 

 

Well, you must go where demand and excitement are, and that's streaming so they are right to want a share of the cake!

 

I know people are worried for theaters but it was only a matter of time anyway with Netflix's rise and Disney+ announced well before Covid19.

[cax16]

1 minute ago, Fullbuster said:

 

Well, you must go where demand and excitement are, and that's streaming so they are right to want a share of the cake!

 

I know people are worried for theaters but it was only a matter of time anyway with Netflix's rise and Disney+ announced well before Covid19.

I’m not disagreeing with you at all. 
 

I’m was just trying to point out that Disney had an opportunity to help theatres in an already terrible year and they decided not to, which is fine.

 

WB has made it very easy for everyone to overlook everything lol 

 

 

[filmlover]

Honestly, the Disney movies that went to + were the ones that were likely the easiest to send that route. Mulan was two weeks away from opening and blew its entire marketing budget before the country shut down. Hamilton allowed people to experience the show in some way since the stage versions might not come back until when the movie was supposed to open (October 2021). And the fact Soul is expected to be an Oscar contender and the rules this year means a streaming release would still qualify made giving up on a theatrical release easier. Everything else would likely need to additional people with plenty of power to sign off on to make it happen.

[filmlover]

Margot Robbie speaks:

 

Quote

You have a deal at Warner Bros., which has just announced it is smashing the theatrical release window and putting its 2021 slate day-and-date on HBO Max. Presumably you didn't know this news was coming?

 

MCNAMARA No.

 

What do you make of it?

 

ROBBIE We know there are people at Warner Bros. whom we have brilliant relationships with that are very talent-friendly and are responsible for the incredible reputation Warner Bros. has had over the past decades as the predominant talent-forward studio. We are hopeful that this will work itself out and that Warner Bros. will do right by its storytellers.

Margot Robbie and LuckyChap Partners Talk Their Producing Strategy: "If It's Not a 'F***, Yes,' It's a 'No'" | Hollywood Reporter

[CJohn]

Margot Robbie wants that "Wonder Woman money" from FORMER BROS.

[WittyUsername]

2 hours ago, cax16 said:

That’s not my point and we don’t even know that WB will go through with this.

 

As it stands now WB is the only studio to release big blockbuster movies this year in tenet and ww84. Disney put all their movies on Disney+. So, Disney has hurt theatres more at this time then WB.  
 

I assume that’s part of what @jimisawesomepoint is and he’s saying that Disney should be called out as well.

 

We can discuss hypotheticals about next year all we want but as it stands now WB has done more for theatres this year then any other studio. 

 

This is a WB thread. It’s no surprise that people here are calling them out for this decision, while not really focusing on Disney. 

[cax16]

1 minute ago, WittyUsername said:

This is a WB thread. It’s no surprise that people here are calling them out for this decision, while not really focusing on Disney. 

Lol seriously?

 

I’m not questioning anyone calling out WB, I’m saying give fair criticism all around where it’s warranted. 

[WittyUsername]

8 minutes ago, cax16 said:

Lol seriously?

 

I’m not questioning anyone calling out WB, I’m saying give fair criticism all around where it’s warranted. 

And I wasn’t saying that you were questioning that. I’m saying that since this thread is specifically about WB, there’s not much of a reason to bring up Disney.