Christopher Nolan blasts Warner Bros. over HBO Max deal: 'The worst streaming service'
Christopher Nolan isn't exactly thrilled with his friends at Warner Bros. right about now.
The acclaimed director in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter slammed Warner Bros. for the studio's bombshell decision to release all of its 2021 movies on HBO Max on the same day they arrive in theaters.
"Some of our industry's biggest filmmakers and most important movie stars went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service," Nolan told The Hollywood Reporter.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Nolan has long worked with Warner Bros. going back to 2002 on his movies like the Dark Knight trilogy and Inception, making the especially brutal nature of his comments surprising. But Nolan is famously a major proponent of the movie theater experience, and in September, Warner Bros. released his latest film Tenet as the first major tentpole back in U.S. theaters amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The film ultimately disappointed at the domestic box office.
Under the Warner Bros. plan, movies like Godzilla vs. Kong, Dune, and The Matrix 4 will still be released in theaters, but they'll also be available to stream on HBO Max the same day. Nolan argued to the Reporter this "makes no economic sense," and he blasted Warner Bros. for "dismantling" their "incredible machine for getting a filmmaker's work out everywhere." The director also told Entertainment Tonight he's in "disbelief" over the plan and criticized Warner Bros. because "they didn't tell anyone" before the announcement.
Nolan is hardly the only one unhappy with the decision. In addition to theaters being outraged, Legendary Entertainment, the production company behind Godzilla vs. Kong and Dune, is reportedly considering suing over it, and the Reporter writes that the "instant response in Hollywood was outrage and a massive girding for battle." Indeed, one talent agent told the Reporter, "Never have this many people been this upset with one entity."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Trump gets $289M break, first criminal trial date
Speed Read The former president's fraud bond has been reduced to $175 million from $464 million
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - March 26, 2024
Cartoons Tuesday's cartoons - the House GOP abandon ship, Joe Biden sets his stall, and more
By The Week US Published
-
US-Israel rift widens after UN cease-fire resolution
Speed Read The U.S. declined to veto a U.N. resolution calling for a two-week "immediate cease-fire" in Gaza
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopics
Speed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift to Miley Cyrus: female artists dominate 2024 Grammys
Speed Read SZA, Phoebe Bridgers and Lainey Wilson were also among the winners at LA gala
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
South Korea passes law banning sale and production of dog meat
Speed Read Rare bipartisan support 'highlights changing attitudes' as young people shun centuries-old tradition
By The Week UK Published
-
Out of touch: Daryl Hall obtains restraining order against bandmate John Oates
Speed Read Lawsuit reveals unharmonious relationship between most commercially successful duo in pop history
By Jamie Timson, The Week UK Published