After multiple delays on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, Warner Bros. made the historic decision to release Wonder Woman 1984 simultaneously on HBO Max and theaters on December 25, 2020. Now, the results of a survey indicate the Wonder Woman sequel performed well for the WarnerMedia streamer, besting the debut of Pixar’s Soul on Disney+.
Warner Bros. and DC’s Wonder Woman 1984 was scheduled to be released in theaters in June 2020 until the COVID-19 pandemic forced theaters to close their doors in an effort to contain the virus. While the studio rescheduled the anticipated sequel three times over the course of the year, a simultaneous theatrical and HBO Max release on Christmas day was ultimately decided as it became clear the health crisis would continue on some level throughout much of 2021. The streamer, which debuted in May 2020, had concluded the third quarter of the year with an eligible customer base of 28.7 million, which was not enough to offset the losses faced by WarnerMedia’s Warner Bros. division.
According to a survey conducted by Screen Engine, a research firm that began seriously polling the moviegoing and consumer habits of home entertainment viewers once the pandemic hit, Wonder Woman 1984 has already been watched more in its first week than any other 2020 SVOD movie, including Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton and Soul on Disney+. The results of the survey also bode well for HBO Max, with 23% of those who viewed Wonder Woman 1984 noting that they signed up for the streaming service specifically to watch the DC sequel over the December 25-27 weekend. Among that group, 14% stated they would continue to subscribe to HBO Max while only 9% said they would likely cancel their subscription soon. Meanwhile, 19% of existing HBO Max subscribers stated they likely would have canceled their subscriptions without Wonder Woman 1984 being added to the library and will instead remain customers for the time being.
In terms of specific demographics, Screen Engine’s survey revealed viewership for Wonder Woman 1984 was highest among males over the age of 35, though the DC film performed well among all groups. More than half of HBO Max viewers resided in suburban areas while the film over-indexed in top markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia, where theaters remain closed. At this time, WarnerMedia has not released official Christmas weekend streaming numbers for Wonder Woman 1984.
The purported success of Wonder Woman 1984‘s debut is a positive sign for the 17 Warner Bros. films slated to be released on HBO Max day-and-date with theaters in 2021. Among those projects are highly anticipated blockbusters such as Dune, The Matrix 4, The Suicide Squad, and Godzilla Vs. Kong.
Of course, Warner Bros.’ decision to forgo the traditional theatrical release window has been met with criticism from filmmakers and theater owners. Perhaps the most notable detractor of the studio’s release strategy is Tenet director Christopher Nolan, who argued the plan makes no economic sense and threatens the survivability of movie theaters currently struggling amid the pandemic.
Wonder Woman 1984 is now available on HBO Max and in select theaters.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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