Warner Bros. may have damaged one of its most valuable filmmaker relationships with its recent controversial decision regarding 2021 theatrical releases.
Christopher Nolan, who has released all of his films with the studio since Insomnia in 2002, blasted the company in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Monday, Dec. 7. He offered his reaction to Warner Bros.’ announcement on Thursday, Dec. 3 that its entire 2021 film slate would debut on streaming service HBO Max on the same day as the movies hit theaters, rather than waiting the customary months-long window for home releases.
“Some of our industry’s biggest filmmakers and most important movie stars went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service,” Nolan said.
The 50-year-old Dunkirk director made it clear that he sees the decision as hurting the cinematic experience, not to mention Warner Bros.’ bottom line.
“Warner Bros. had an incredible machine for getting a filmmaker’s work out everywhere, both in theaters and in the home, and they are dismantling it as we speak,” he continued. “They don’t even understand what they’re losing. Their decision makes no economic sense, and even the most casual Wall Street investor can see the difference between disruption and dysfunction.”