Who in the hell knew I was a fortune teller with real psychic powers? You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to predict the demise of retail movie theaters. It was obvious!
I thought the John Wick double-tap, kill-shot would come from Disney Plus. Who in the hell knew Warner Media| HBO Max would be the one to light the retail movie theater industry up in a blaze of bullets? Crips and Bloods ain’t got nothing on Warner Media | HBO Max.
Warner Media | HBO Max are “real” triple old “G”-A-N-G-S-T-E-R-S. It’s not every day a major movie studio throws up the middle finger to theater owners. What makes this decision so gangster? Theater owners have zero leverage to force Warner Media to change. Theater owners are middlemen. Theater owners can’t do shit about it. This is a no Vaseline situation for theater owners.
Warner Media is leveraging the pandemic to build a direct relationship with their customers. In the age of streaming, movie studios don’t need theater owners. Boss moves are being made in 2020 with this new Warner Media corporate strategy. So much respect to Warner Media for this boss move.
It was exactly a year ago (November 2019) I started this A Reel Cinema @ Home website. During that first month, I posted an article called “Movie Theaters Near Death Experience – Kill Shot Fired.” In the post, I basically said 1) retail movie theaters are dead 2) families prefer to watch movies at home via streaming or 4K Blu-ray, and 3) it is only a matter of time before Disney releases all of their new, blockbuster movies in a “day-and-date” format on Disney Plus. A day-and-date movie release is when a Hollywood movie studio releases a film on multiple platforms at the same time. Meaning in retail theaters and on streaming platforms—on the exact same day.
On December 3, 2020, Warner Media | HBO Max announced all their 2021 movie releases will premier in theaters and on HBO Max on the exact same date with no additional costs to HBO Max subscribers. This will begin on December 25, 2020 with the release of Wonder Woman 1984.
Every Warner Media’s film released in 2021 will be available on their HBO Max streaming platform for one month – 31 days. All films will be available in 4K Ultra HD and HDR. Following the one-month HBO Max access, each film will leave the platform.
The line-up of films to be released in 2020/2021 include:
Wonder Woman 1984 (December 25, 2021)
The Little Things (January 29, 2021)
Judas and the Black Messiah (February 12, 2021)
Tom & Jerry (March 5, 2021)
The Many Saints of Newark (March 12, 2021)
Reminiscence (April 16, 2021)
Godzilla vs. Kong (May 21, 2021)
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (June 4, 2021)
In The Heights (June 18, 2021)
Space Jam: A New Legacy (July 16, 2021)
The Suicide Squad (August 6, 2021)
Dune (October 1, 2021)
King Richard (November 19, 2021)
The Matrix 4 (December 22, 2021)
Mortal Kombat (TBD)
Those Who Wish Me Dead (TBD)
Malignant (TBD)
Cry Macho (TBD)
I knew a change was coming in the post I created in November 2019. I just didn’t know three months later a worldwide coronavirus pandemic would be the spark. The 2020 coronavirus pandemic sped up the death of the retail movie theater by years. Retail movie theaters are dying a slow and painful death just like Blockbuster, Musicland, and Sam Goody (if your age makes you unaware of those businesses – my point exactly).
Let me put it like this. Back in my day (Yes, I am old) there used to be a business called an arcade in most neighborhoods. Now an arcade is limited to Dave & Busters or Chucky Cheese. Children used to congregate at arcades to play video games. When Playstation and Xbox first dropped many believed arcades would never go out of business. Arcade fans said they “needed” the sounds and the sanctity of the community gaming experience found in an arcade. Arcades are around but they are boutique businesses. Play Station 5 just dropped and they are sold out everywhere. No one is going to arcades to play video games. Video games are played in the comfort of homes and/or with others online. The arcade experience was destroyed by Xbox and Play Station. Retail movie theaters find themselves in the same situation arcades found themselves in years ago. The movie theater experience has been destroyed by Warner Media | HBO Max. Going forward movies will be watched in the comfort of homes.
As of December 3, 2020, retail movie theaters are in hospice care. Warner Media| HBO Max has made retail movie theaters an option instead of a necessity. Someone needs to notify the next of kin and have the priest perform the last rites. A sky-blue casket is purchased, the eulogy is being written, and funeral services are being coordinated. Pallbearers have been named, the perfect funeral flowers have been selected, and a compassionate, hand-written, condolence card is being passed around for all to sign. In a situation like this, what words of sympathy can we offer movie theaters experiencing a catastrophic loss of revenue in 2020 and going forward.
A Reel Cinema At Home has told anyone who would listen about the upcoming slow death of an obsolete industry known as retail movie theaters. The years have not been kind to what once was a grand, vibrant movie theater industry. Back in the day, people dressed up to attend and tuxedo clad ushers directed patrons to their seats.
Before the 2020 pandemic, most retail movie theaters were dirty and sold overpriced concessions. Violence at movie theaters across the nation became a 10:00 pm news cycle regular. The holier than thou “cinematic theater experience” is violent where customers fight each other, talk through the whole damn movie, stay on their phones, bring their crying ass kids, and refuse to conform to basic social norms.
For home theater and R-E-E-L movie nerds like A Reel Cinema At Home, Warner Media’s “day-and-date” announcement makes the panties wet! I have never smoked anything a day in my life but I feel like a cigarette. This news is better than sex. SERIOUSLY! Warner Media | HBO Max is blowing my back completely out, sweating out my new perm, and hitting THAT spot with this announcement. Who’s my daddy? – HBO Max.
Like a good infomercial…but wait there is more! Disney Plus is not going to allow Warner Media| HBO Max to be the “It Girl” for long. Disney is a petty, toxic, jealous ex-girlfriend who is not about to allow the new girlfriend, HBO Max, to outshine or take her place.
The folks at Disney Plus are mad as hell right now. HBO Max has destroyed what could have been a very lucrative revenue stream. Disney charged $30 for the release of Mulan on Disney Plus. HBO Max is including “Wonder Woman 1984,” “Maxtrix 4,” “In the Heights” and 14 other new releases for free with a subscription. HBO max is offering 17 movies free. Disney Plus requires a subscription and an additional $30 for ONE movie.
A petty, jealous girlfriend like Disney Plus will never allow the new girlfriend, HBO Max, to outshine her. Disney will be out for blood. Disney is circling the block hoping to catch that bitch HBO Max alone so she can whoop HBO Max’s ass. We expect a full petty retaliation movie release from Disney Plus in a Trump like fashion. A Reel Cinema At Home predicts Disney will release Black Widow on the SAME DAY as Wonder Woman 1984 in retaliation for the loss of future revenue.
Remember Disney Plus is a petty, jealous, ex-girlfriend who has been outshined and gives no fucks about the new bitch who is making her look bad. The old girlfriend will do everything she can to outshine the new bitch to remind us why she (Disney) is the better girlfriend.
It is only a matter of time before Disney Plus joins the “day-and-date” release party. Don’t be surprised in the next week if Disney announces “day-and-date” releases too. Disney Plus is definitely waiting outside HBO Max’s house waiting to fight the new bitch. In 2021, home theater fans and movie nerds like me could possibly watch the following films from Disney at home:
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Imagine our home theater and movie reviewer geeky happiness when Disney announces “day-and-date.” Come on Disney! Throw your middle fingers up to theater owners too! Release everything to theaters and Disney Plus in 2021. Don’t let HBO Max outshine you girl!
We hope you will join us in celebrating this wonderful transition to the “day-and-date” movie releases. We knew this moment was coming. We have been preparing our home theater accordingly. Our home theater is ready for every change to come in 2021 and beyond.
Our humble home theater provides a private and clean space to watch movies. Our 135-inch screen and 2,500 lumens projector provides a crystal clear picture. Our 7.2.4 Klipsch Dolby Atmos speaker set-up immerses us in surround sound. Our theater seating allows us to recline in comfort with plush pillows and warm fuzzy blankets for a luxury experience. Our home theater concession area includes a fully stocked espresso/hot chocolate/tea station, liquor bar, and concession area. We level up our movie watching experience by adding delicious meals, desserts, and drinks. If we needed a bathroom break during the film, we have no worries about missing the best part. The pause button is our friend. The movie start and stop times are in our control.
We know our theater seats, floors, luxury pillows, comfortable blankets, and bathrooms are clean and coronavirus free. We are 100% confident the dishes our meals are served on are clean and coronavirus free. We know the people watching the movie with us are coronavirus free. We have no doubt the food is fresh and the chef is the best.
We have created a better, luxurious, and leveled up movie watching experience for the new “date-and-day” movie releases right in our home. The gap between what a retail movie theater can offer us and what we have created in our home theater is non-existent.
We are extremely glad for the “date-and-day” releases on HBO Max. We are excited to see what Disney Plus offers soon. Our movie watching experience will be greatly enhanced in 2021 by simply staying home and enjoying blockbuster movie releases with people we know. Thank you Warner Media| HBO Max.
You can read the previous article “Movie Theaters Near Death Experience – Kill Shot Fired” by clicking the picture below.
