Wonder Woman 1984 Movie's Theatrical Release Delayed Until August
The next installment in the cinematic DC Universe, Wonder Woman 1984, won't be appearing on the big screen until late this summer, the team behind the film has announced. The movie was originally scheduled to premiere in theaters on June 5, but Warner Bros. has made the decision to postpone the sequel until August 14. Malignant, the movie previously scheduled to debut on August 14, has been bumped to a later date to accommodate the new WW84 premiere.
This is the latest in a long line of movie premiere cancellations, postponements, and tweaks. Theaters around the US and in many parts of the world are operating on reduced hours or have been shut down entirely in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Social distancing efforts mean that movie theater auditoriums are being avoided by many; in some cities and states, these locations have been shut down as 'non-essential' businesses.
Wonder Woman 1984 isn't the first movie to be postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak. Paramount Pictures announced earlier this month that A Quiet Place 2 has been indefinitely postponed, as have many other movies, including the live-action Mulan flick from Disney. Some other movies have been released on digital videos early and at least one, The Lovebirds, skipped a theatrical premiere to go straight to Netflix.
That straight-to-video approach won't happen for WW84, however, with Warner Bros Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich stating that it greenlit the movie 'with every intention to be viewed on the big screen.' He went on to state that the company hopes 'the world will be in a safer and healthier place' by August 14.
Whether that will be the case remains to be seen. Some health experts have stated that the coronavirus pandemic is likely to peak in the US this summer, starting a rapid decline in cases around mid-to-late July. However, experts have warned that a relaxed public attitude toward social distancing may lead to a second rebound of the virus starting around early winter and lasting through the holiday season.