Denis Villeneuve’s Dune is going to be released on HBO Max on the same date as its theater release, and the director is not as elated as the audience. In an article written for Variety, he blasts Warner Brothers and AT&T, saying that the move to release movies on streaming on the same day as in theaters is “a desperate attempt to grab the audience’s attention.”
“With this decision AT&T has hijacked one of the most respectable and important studios in film history,” he writes. “There is absolutely no love for cinema, nor for the audience here. It is all about the survival of a telecom mammoth, one that is currently bearing an astronomical debt of more than $150 billion.”
His anger at WB and HBO Max is not without a companion, last week Christopher Nolan, director of Tenet is also reportedly not happy as he believes that movies “are meant to be big-screen experiences.” The Dune director shared the same thoughts in his piece, saying that Dune’s “image and sound were meticulously designed to be seen in theaters.” He also reveals that the original plan was to delay Dune to October 2021, and he supported that decision for public safety.
Executives for AT&T, NBCUniversal, and ViacomCBS have defended the release strategy, but w directors of the blockbusters have started to strongly voice their disapproval. Warner Bros still hasn’t commented on this matter. What does the audience think about this? Would you agree with the filmmakers that movies need to be seen on the big screen to be truly appreciated, or if you’re happy to watch movies from the comfort of your homes? Let us know in the comments.
