Holy Hybrid Release Model, Batman!
Movie release plans have been all over the place in recent years, for good reason, and every studio has handled it differently, from sticking to purely theatrical releases to moving some films entirely to streaming platforms, and everything in between. With all the various plans also changing over time, fans have been left wondering exactly when their most anticipated films would be available to watch at home, and in the case of Robert Pattinson’s take on the Dark Knight in The Batman, we finally have an answer.
WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar has stated that The Batman will hit HBO Max after a 45-day exclusive run in theaters. Kilar went on Vox’s Recode podcast to talk about his hybrid release model—a change from Warner Bros.’ decision last December to make its entire 2021 theatrical slate available to stream on HBO Max the same day each film opened in theaters. Kilar calls the new model “a strategic response to the impact of the ongoing global pandemic.”
“I feel really, really good knowing that The Batman, and Black Adam, and The Flash, and Elvis, and a whole host of other movies, are literally going to be showing up on day 46 on HBO Max in a variety of territories all over the world,” said Kilar. “That is a very, very big change that I don’t think people appreciate, and I feel really good about it.”
When exactly is the HBO Max release?
So, when do we get our beloved dirtbag Batman flying across our television screens?
The Batman hits theaters on March 4, which means that it will swoop into HBO Max on April 18, 2022, 46 days after its theatrical release! So, set those spring calendars now because we are going to have a lot to discuss! RPattz Batman! That Zodiac-inspired Riddler costume! Colin Farrell’s Penguin prosthetics! The discourse—it’s going to be batty!
This has now been confirmed by Deadline, who saw (through an apparent technical glitch) that confirmed dates for the release had been posted to HBO’s website. The dates have now been deleted, but this is the internet, and screenshots are forever. The schedule lists the on demand release date as April 19, with television screenings for HBO Latino happening on April 23, 24, and 26. HBO Max has also now officially confirmed that alongside the HBO Max release date on April 18, it will also air The Batman on April 23 at 8pm ET on HBO.
While this is a shift back towards a more normal release structure for WB, with movies arriving on streaming after their theatrical debuts, it’s still a much shorter window than before, as the pandemic accelerates changes in the movie industry. “Think about when movies would show up on HBO, which is eight to nine months after theatrical premiere. The Batman is going to show up on day 46 on HBO Max,” Kilar said. “That is a huge change from where things were in 2018, 2017, 2016.”
(via: Deadline, image: Warner Bros.)
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