When is ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ Coming Out?
Wonder Woman 1984 is the only blockbuster theatrical release left on the 2020 calendar. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, most of this year’s major movie events (and even 2021’s) have been pushed back a year, causing fans and filmmakers alike to worry about the state of the American movie theater. So, when is Wonder Woman 1984 coming out?
The highly anticipated sequel to the Gal Gadot-led franchise (which has been delayed three times this year alone) is slated to hit theaters Christmas Day, but with COVID-19 cases rising and flu season looming, it’s possible fans won’t see Diana Prince and the Amazons grace their screens until 2021.
‘Wonder Woman 1984’ could debut on streaming platforms
There is another option that would allow the film to be released, although it wouldn’t bode well for theaters. Like Disney’s Mulan remake, there is talk that Wonder Woman 1984 could be released directly to streaming on Christmas Day. It could also be released both in theaters and on streaming services, but given the pandemic, it’s impossible to predict what’s going to happen.
Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins expressed concern that her film being released solely on demand could mean major heartbreak for theaters nationwide.
“If we shut this down, this will not be a reversible process,” she told Reuters. “We could lose movie theater-going forever.”
Her fear is valid, considering Regal Cinemas has temporarily closed all of its locations due to the pandemic. Other theater chains could follow.
Theaters are relying on a ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ Christmas Day release
Despite her concern, Jenkins said in an interview with Variety, that she’s “very hopeful” it will have a theatrical release.
“It feels totally possible to me,” the Monster director said. Of course, the pandemic leaves everything up in the air.
“I don’t think anybody can be confident of anything right now,” Jenkins shared. “We just don’t know what the course of COVID is going to be like.”
This year has been a year of waiting for all movie lovers. Jenkins revealed how she’s felt about Wonder Woman 1984 being in limbo.
“It’s unbelievably surreal,” she admitted. “The biggest surreality about it is it’s supposed to be one adventure, right? You sign on to the movie, you write the movie, you direct the movie, you make the movie, the movie comes out, and you move on. Instead, like, I spent three years doing one thing, seven days a week, and then I just popped out of it to just nothing. No evidence of that [work].”
Movie theaters globally are hoping for December 2020 blockbusters
She continued, “For the longest time, the only people who’d seen the movie were the people who’d worked on the movie. We just showed our own agents. That was thrilling, to finally get to talk to people who didn’t know what the movie was. But it’s super weird to go from making a movie with such detail and being so excited for the experience of people getting to share in that with you, and then just going on to cleaning your house and cooking.”
Wonder Woman 1984 won’t be the only movie coming out on Christmas Day, should it be released as planned. Disney/Pixar’s Soul is also slated to come out Dec. 25, but unfortunately for global cinemas, it is debuting directly on Disney+.
On Oct. 12, the International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) released a statement criticizing Disney’s decision not to let Soul come out in any theaters.
“The vast majority of cinemas across Europe and indeed many regions of the world are now open and able to offer a safe and enjoyable return for audiences,” the statement said. “Cinema operators have invested massively in offering the safest possible experience to their audiences on the basis of a promising schedule of new film releases.”
“Decisions to postpone titles, to bypass cinemas and the value they create are extremely disappointing—and concerning,” the statement continued. “And will only delay the day that the whole industry is able to put this crisis behind it.”
The world will have to wait and see if Wonder Woman can save the movies, too.
