EDITOR'S NOTE: Multimedia journalist Sarah Pilla visits the Vista Theater in Los Feliz to see how they feel about Warner Bros. Picture releasing its entire 2021 slate of films on its streaming platform, HBO Max, while simultaneously releasing them in theaters. Click the arrow above to watch the video.

BURBANK, Calif. — Warner Bros. Pictures will release its 2021 films in theaters and through the HBO Max streaming service simultaneously, the company announced today. Under the new hybrid distribution model, Warner Bros. will exhibit films theatrically worldwide and add an exclusive one-month access period on HBO Max in the U.S. concurrent with a movie’s domestic release.

The Little Things starring Denzel Washington and Rami Malek, The Suicide Squad starring Margot Robbe, and The Matrix 4 with Keanu Reeves are among the 17 films Warner Bros. expects to release next year. 

The hybrid model was created as a strategic response to the impact of the ongoing global pandemic, particularly in the U.S., the company said in a statement. The one-year plan will support Warner Bros. partners with a steady pipeline of films while giving moviegoers access to movies, even if they are not ready to go back into theaters.

“We’re living in unprecedented times which call for creative solutions, including this new initiative,” WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group Chief Executive Ann Sarnoff said in a statement. Calling it a win-win for film lovers and exhibitors, she added, “No one wants films back on the big screen more than we do. We know new content is the lifeblood of theatrical exhibition, but we have to balance this with the reality that most theaters in the U.S. will likely operate at reduced capacity throughout 2021.”

Industry observers say this move could be a “death knell” for the movie theater and exhibition business. 

“This is a seismic seismic shift in the exhibition industry,” said Scott Mantz, a film critic and member of the Producers Guild of America. “There is no question that the movie-going experience is not going to return to normal anytime soon. And with today’s landmark decision, it may never go back to where it used to be, at all.”

Mantz said the pandemic has forced many moviergoers’ habits to change. “For the last eight months, people have gotten used to the idea of not going to the movies. Whether they’re watching their movie collection, whether they’re watching Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney+, Apple TV with movies on demand. As time has stretched on, they’ve gotten more used to the idea of watching movies at home.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to include reaction from an industry expert. (December 3, 2020)