“Further Delays” Could Be Coming For WarnerMedia’s 2020 Film Slate

It’s likely you’ve heard about the recent problems faced by WarnerMedia through reports on the inevitable demise of their DC Universe streaming service. This week saw hundreds of Warner Bros. employees laid off, including many that helped run the subscriber network. As the company deals with shakeups as part of its merger with AT&T, the future of its film slate is also in question, and some 2020 films may get bumped into next year.

The last few months have been about one thing: Tenet. While Warner Bros. has found a September date for Christopher Nolan’s oft-delayed film, CEO John Stephens told investors recently (via THR) that some of the studio’s other big 2020 releases, such as Wonder Woman 1984 and Dune, are less certain.

Stephens said, “I am not certain where those are going to go,” going on to suggest “further delays in some of the titles” as the pandemic continues to cause problems for theaters’ reopening plans.

These comments come at an interesting time. A couple of months ago the idea of a major blockbuster moving to streaming was easily dismissed, but now that Disney has made that decision with Mulan all bets are off. It’s doubtful we’ll see Wonder Woman or Dune go that way,but nothing can be ignored at this point.

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.