Wonder Woman 1984: Fans Are Freaking Out About Movie Debuting in Theaters and HBO Max

There was huge Wonder Woman 1984 news on Wednesday when it was revealed that the eagerly [...]

By Nicole Drum

There was huge Wonder Woman 1984 news on Wednesday when it was revealed that the eagerly anticipated sequel to 2016's Wonder Woman would, in fact be releasing in theaters this year but with a twist. The Gal Gadot starring, Patty Jenkins directed film will open in theaters as well as simultaneously release on HBO Max on Christmas Day, December 25th. The announcement makes Wonder Woman 1984 the biggest title to make the shift to streaming due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic shuttering theaters and jostling the 2021 box office and beyond -- and of course fans have a lot to say about it.

For many movie fans, Wonder Woman 1984 being released on HBO Max felt like the "right move" but also prompted some major questions. In terms of int being the right move, all across the United States and the world on the larger scale, reopening is being scaled back as new restrictions and lockdowns go into place with cases of COVID-19 on the rise. By releasing Wonder Woman 1984 on HBO Max, moviegoers will now have a safer option for seeing the film in a time when indoor gatherings are ill advised.

Others, however, wondered what this would mean for measuring the film's overall success, how it might impact Marvel's Black Widow, what sort of signal it sends about the state of movies and theaters going forward, and even what it could mean for the future of Wonder Woman as a franchise, prompting some to fear that this could prevent a third film in the series.

Whatever the film's release ultimately ends up meaning or not meaning in terms of all of the big questions surrounding movies and the pandemic, the film's holiday release is sure to bring joy to fans who have been eager to see the film, something that Jenkins herself noted in speaking out about the dual theatrical and streaming release.

"THE TIME HAS COME. At some point you have to choose to share any love and joy you have to give, over everything else," Jenkins' statement reads. "We love our movie as we love our fans, so we truly hope that our film brings a little bit of joy and reprieve to all of you this holiday season. Watch it IN THEATERS, where it is made safe to do so (check out the great work theaters have done to make it so!) And available in the safety of your home on HBO MAX where it is not. Happy holidays to all of you. We hope you enjoy our film as much as we enjoyed making it."

Wonder Woman 1984 is directed by Patty Jenkins, and stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as Barbara Ann Minerva/Cheetah, and Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord.

As mentioned above, Wonder Woman 1984 will be released in select theaters on Christmas Day, as well as on HBO Max.

Read on for how fans are reacting to the Wonder Woman 1984 release news.

Good news!

This is the way.

Stay safe, stay home

Excitement

...but what does it mean for the future of the franchise?

The right thing

Game changing

But why not VOD?

Thank you

Is Black Widow next?

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