Dec 8, 2020

Christopher Nolan Slams Warner Bros. Streaming Strategy: 'Very, Very, Very Tricky'

Christopher Nolan, director of Warner Bros.' Tenet, is leading the chorus of voices condemning the studio's radical new distribution strategy.

Asked by ET Online about Warnermedia's decision, Nolan replied: "In 2021, they have some of the best filmmakers in the world, some of the biggest stars in the world. They have worked for years on these projects that are very close to their hearts, intended to be experienced on the big screen in some cases: ...... And now they are being used as loss-leaders for streaming services...... without any consultation. So there is a lot of controversy. It's very, very, very, very tricky."

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Nolan provided further statements to The Hollywood Reporter." Some of the greatest filmmakers and most important movie stars in our industry went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio, but woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service ... [Warner Media's] decision makes no economic sense, and even the most casual Wall Street investor can see the difference between chaos and dysfunction." [He has worked with Warner Bros. on nine features since "Insomnia" in 2002. This summer, Warner Bros. bucked the trend by releasing "Tenet" theatrically in the midst of a pandemic.

Nolan suggests that there is widespread anger among the talent involved in Warner Bros.' 2021 film, caught off guard by the studio's move - as well as others. Some, like Nolan, are defending the theatrical experience itself and are dismayed that their work's theatrical release is being undermined - Denis Villeneuve, director of the "Dune" remake, is said to be one such person.

WarnerMedia's new strategy will also have a major impact on profit participation, an arrangement that pays talent based on a film's revenue. The company has solved this problem by paying significant salaries to key players in Wonder Woman 1984, which will be released simultaneously in HBO Max and theaters later this month.

However, according to agents, this is unlikely to happen for all 2021 films. James Gunn, director of Suicide Squad, is reportedly unhappy with the company's proposal regarding compensation for him and his colleagues. Warners was essentially a talent-friendly, filmmaker-friendly studio," one agent told The Hollywood Reporter. 'Now Warners is not the first, second, or third place you want to go.'

Meanwhile, Legendary Entertainment, one of the producers of "Dune" and "Godzilla vs. Kong," is trying to negotiate terms for the release of their film and is considering legal action if that fails, according to Variety.

John Stankey, CEO of WarnerMedia's parent company AT&T, defended the new strategy in response to Nolan's comments, saying it is a "win-win-win" for WarnerMedia, its partners, and audiences." Any time you try to change the model," he said, "you are going to create some noise."

Stankey argued that the company had to back off because consumers were reluctant to go to the cinema during the pandemic, and that it would have made little sense for Warner Bros. to sell its movies to a rival streaming platform. HBO Max also gained 4 million subscribers in the past two months, bringing its total to about 12.6 million.

Warner Bros.' 2021 schedule does not include a full-length animated feature, but does include two hybrid features based on classic animated properties: the Tom & Jerry and Space Jam: A New Legacy".