'Wonder Woman 1984' hopes to lasso a little holiday joy

As the Christmas date neared and coronavirus cases continued spiking in the U.S., they agreed on a compromise to release the film in theaters where they are open and free for subscribers on its parent company’s new streaming app HBO Max. The film will also launch in theaters internationally, where more are open, beginning Wednesday.

“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Gadot said. “I’m just relieved that we’re going to share the movie now.”

The “Wonder Woman 1984” agreement, which The New York Times reported included extra millions for both Gadot and Jenkins to make up for lost back-end profits, was made before Warner Media announced that all its 2021 films would follow suit, blindsiding its other filmmakers and partners. The controversial strategy has been criticized by both top filmmakers like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve as well as movie theater owners. Both Jenkins and Roven, whose “The Suicide Squad” is one of those films, said that the filmmakers should have been consulted.

“I am not for this way of doing things in general. But these are strange days and there are no good solutions,” Jenkins said of her own film. “There’s nothing perfect about this release plan and there was nothing perfect about any release plan. And that’s the point.”

But Jenkins is also just excited for audiences to finally see the film and hopes that it might bring a little joy at the end of a trying and devastating year. That it’ll be on Christmas Day, too, is icing for the self-proclaimed Christmas person.

“Honestly, it brings tears to my eyes the idea that I got to make a film that you would watch for Christmas,” she said. “I just think it’s so special.”