‘Godzilla Vs Kong’ Likely To Get A Streaming Release, Probably At HBO Max
Following the recent decision by Warner Bros. Pictures to releaseWonder Woman 1984on HBO Maxsimultaneously with a theatrical releaseon Christmas Day, the floodgates are open for more studio blockbusters to take the streaming route. At least that might be the case for some of the big movies that Warner Bros. has waiting in the wings. Word on the streets of Hollywood is thatGodzilla vs Kongmay be the next major movie to land a streaming deal with HBO Max being the likely recipient.
The Hollywood Reporterhas news on Warner Bros. Pictures negotiating some kind ofGodzilla vs Kongstreaming release. Netflix reportedly made an offer over $200 million for the film, but WarnerMedia is instead looking to grab the movie in order to send it to HBO Max. Yes, Warner Bros. Pictures falls under the WarnerMedia banner, but they have their own finances, so the film still needs to be paid for, even if it’s intended for another entertainment arm within WarnerMedia, in this case HBO Max.
For what it’s worth, a Warner Bros. spokesperson says, “We plan to releaseGodzilla vs. Kongtheatrically next year as scheduled.” While that might be true, that doesn’t preclude a streaming release. Currently, the sequel is slated for a theatrical release onMay 21, 2021. It’s not likely that WB would release the movie on streaming so late in the year when a vaccine is expected to be available in the United States, so maybe the studio is planning to bump up the movie to an earlier theatrical release in 2021 while giving it a streaming release at the same time. Perhaps it will have a similar deal asWonder Woman 1984by only being available on HBO Max for 30 days while the movie continues to play in theaters.
Since a deal is still being discussed, we likely won’t get official word on this for awhile. But we wouldn’t be surprised if at least a few more major studio releases scheduled for the next few months opt for a simultaneous streaming and theatrical release as we wait for a vaccine to make it safer to head back to movie theaters again.
