Warner Bros. ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ Release Delayed Until August

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Warner Bros. has delayed the return of “Wonder Woman 1984” to the big screen because of coronavirus concerns. WW84 will now hit theaters on Aug. 14 instead of June 5.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

The new storyline transports fans to the 80s as Wonder Woman faces off with two all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah. With director Patty Jenkins back at the helm and Gal Gadot reprising her title role, “Wonder Woman 1984” is Warner Bros. Pictures’ sequel to the DC’s first standalone film in 2017, “Wonder Woman,” which raked in $822 million at the box office worldwide. The film also stars Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as The Cheetah, Pedro Pascal as Max Lord, Robin Wright as Antiope, and Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta.

Warner Bros. expects for “Wonder Woman 1984” to be one of the highest-grossing movies of 2020. DC's budget on the film came in at around $180 million, so tickets sales are essential. Over 5000 movie theaters across the US have gone dark in compliance with Governor Gavin Newsom's latest directive for the temporary closure of gyms, health clubs, entertainment venues and restaurants in California as the state battles the coronavirus' spread.

It is uncertain whether all movie theater circuits can survive the coronavirus lock down with AMC Theatres, Regal, Cinemark, iPic, and Arclight looking at an estimated mid-April re-open.

“When we greenlit WW 1984 it was with every intention to be viewed on the big screen and are excited to announce that Warner Bros. Pictures will be bringing the film to theatres on August 14th,” Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group Chairman Toby Emmerich said in a statement. “We hope the world will be in a safer and healthier place by then.”

The studio also indefinitely pulled “In the Heights” which was slated for June 26, as well as “Scoob” an animated film based on “Scooby-Doo” scheduled for May 15. “Malignant,” a thriller from “Aquaman” director James Wan, was originally scheduled to open on Aug. 14, but was bumped for “Wonder Woman 1984.”