Patty Jenkins Says HBO Max Wonder Woman 1984 Release Was Heartbreaking

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Patty Jenkins has spoken candidly about Warner Bros.' decision to release Wonder Woman 1984 on HBO Max day and date with theaters. Originally set to open in theaters on June 5, 2020, Wonder Woman 1984 was one of many films that were delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was delayed twice, first to August 14 and then to October 2 of 2020 before Warner Bros. settled on a Christmas release date that would also find the movie premiering on HBO Max.

When Wonder Woman 1984 opened in theaters, many theaters were still shut down, so it made the $16.7 million opening weekend for the film the largest for any film during the pandemic at that point, which is impressive but still minor compared to the first film's $103 million. The choice to release the film during the pandemic as well as on HBO Max ended up taking its toll on the box office for the film which grossed $46 million domestically and $166 million worldwide. The decision, along with the news of releasing Warner Bros.' entire 2021 slate to HBO Max, was met with mixed results with some viewers excited to be able to safely watch the biggest movies from the safety of their homes while COVID-19 cases surged. But it was seen as harmful to theatrical distribution and the filmmakers who made their films for a big-screen treatment and to be seen with the best sound system and picture quality.

RELATED: Wonder Woman 1984'S Box Office Explained: Is It A Failure?

According to Deadline, during a luncheon at CinemaCon, Patty Jenkins spoke about how the decision to release Wonder Woman 1984 on streaming left her heartbroken. Jenkins said the decision to release the film was the best of many bad situations but it was detrimental to the film. She later spoke about how she wants her films to be made for the big screen. Jenkins' statement can be read below:

"It was the best choice in a bunch of bad choices at the moment...[it was a] heartbreaking experience. It was detrimental to the movie...I don’t think it plays the same on streaming, ever. I’m not a fan of day-and-date and I hope to avoid it forever.”

Jenkins, like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve, is a filmmaker who is speaking about the importance of theatrical distribution and seeing a film in theaters. Warner Bros. wanted to keep Jenkins and Wonder Woman 1984 star, Gal Gadot, happy and part of the franchise, so they paid them bonuses before the film went to streaming to ensure they'd come back for Wonder Woman 3. Before Jenkins returns to the world of DC Comics, her next film will be Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, which will release exclusively in theaters on December 22, 2023, almost three years to the date of Wonder Woman 1984's release.

The ability for audiences to access the film from their homes the same day in theaters allowed viewers to tweet reactions of the film in real-time, sometimes in the middle of the viewing, taking scenes and clips out of context within the original film that could have hurt the reaction and word of mouth to Wonder Woman 1984. Had it been released in a traditional theatrical market, Wonder Woman 1984 could have maybe reached the box office heights of its predecessor, or if it had been delayed to 2021 when more theaters were opened, it could have performed on par with other pandemic blockbusters like Godzilla vs. Kong, F9, and Black Widow. Instead of delaying the film to be released at a time where more audiences could have seen it, Warner Bros. opted to release Wonder Woman 1984 and use the high-profile nature of the sequel to raise awareness of their streaming service.

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