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Every Warner Bros. movie in 2021 will debut on HBO Max the same day it arrives in theaters, including 'The Suicide Squad' and 'The Matrix 4'

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Warner Bros. announced on Thursday an unprecedented distribution strategy for its 2021 theatrical release slate as the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate Hollywood. 

The movie studio will debut all of its 2021 movies on HBO Max in the US the same day they hit theaters. The movies will be available on Max for one month, after which they'll leave the streamer and continue to play in theaters.

Warner Bros. had previously announced that "Wonder Woman 1984" would debut on HBO Max the same day it hits theaters on December 25.

This is a huge step for Warner Bros., which committed to theaters earlier this year when it debuted Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" in cinemas. The movie disappointed as the US box office, though, with $57 million (it earned more than $350 million globally).

The move is a reflection of how big an impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on movie studios, which have experimented with alternative release strategies to theaters. Major chains like Regal and Cineworld are closed in the US and UK and it's unclear when they'll reopen.

Theater stocks took a nosedive on Thursday after the announcement. AMC, the largest theater chain in the world, was down 8% following the announcement.

But the move is also a sign that WarnerMedia is looking to boost subscribers for HBO Max, which has struggled to convert those who are already HBO customers.

The service has yet to strike a deal with Roku, one of the largest streaming distribution platforms and Variety's Todd Spangler tweeted on Thursday that the strategy could pressure Roku into making a deal.

WarnerMedia has undergone a heavy shakeup this year under the new CEO Jason Kilar that includes hundreds of layoffs and a focus on its streaming business. In August, after WarnerMedia Entertainment and direct-to-consumer chair Bob Greenblatt and Max content chief Kevin Reilly were axed, the Warner Bros. CEO Ann Sarnoff was elevated to oversee all film, TV, network, and streaming divisions.

Here's every movie impacted by Warner Bros. announcement:

  • "The Little Things"
  • "Judas and the Black Messiah"
  • "Tom & Jerry"
  • "Godzilla vs. Kong"
  • "Mortal Kombat"
  • "Those Who Wish Me Dead"
  • "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It"
  • "In The Heights"
  • "Space Jam: A New Legacy"
  • "The Suicide Squad"
  • "Reminiscence"
  • "Malignant"
  • "Dune"
  • "The Many Saints of Newark"
  • "King Richard"
  • "Cry Macho"
  • "Matrix 4"

If you have a tip about WarnerMedia, Warner Bros., or HBO Max, contact the author at tclark@businessinsider.com or DM him on Twitter @TravClark2

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