Steven Soderbergh has been a filmmaker that has consistently pushed the boundaries of whatever medium he’s working in. On the small screen, he’s pushed the limits of TV and on streaming platforms with projects like “Wireless” and “Mosaic.” In film, he’s tested new ways of filming things (with smaller cameras and even smartphones), as well as marketing films (taking on the role of de facto marketer for “Logan Lucky,” for example. So, if you’re going to discuss the changing paradigm of releasing films in theaters and/or streaming services, Soderbergh is something of an expert. And in regards to the recent HBO Max/Warner Bros. hybrid release strategy, he’s not afraid to straddle both sides of the argument.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Soderbergh was asked about the recent WarnerMedia kerfuffle where the studio decided to release the entire 2021 Warner Bros. film slate day-and-date on HBO Max and in theaters. And as someone with his own HBO Max deal, and an already-long history of playing well with streamers, Soderbergh understands the decision, but he definitely questions the way it was announced.
“I think there’s obviously a lot of emotion flying around about these issues right now,” said Soderbergh. “But I’ve looked as closely at the economics of all this as I possibly can, given the access that I have. There are just certain economic realities that you cannot wish away. I think in the case of Warner, you’ve got a scenario…These things have a shelf life. They’re expensive. When they work it’s because there’s timing involved. There’s a zeitgeist aspect to all of these things.”
He continued, “I think they’re looking at a scenario in which they either lose some money, or another scenario in which they lose a fuck-ton of money. That’s the decision. You’ve got to look at the next 12 to 18 months if you’re a studio. The fact is, there is not a theatrical-exhibition business that’s worth investing in [unless it’s] operating at 100% capacity. Any other version of it, you’re throwing your money away.”
But while he understands why WarnerMedia made the decision to release the films on streaming and in theaters, as a way to mitigate losses and maybe boost the studio’s HBO Max platform, it’s the way the decision was announced that he believes could have been handled better.
“Were there some issues regarding how this was communicated? Absolutely,” he said. “But remember this: As soon as you call up the first representative of one of the actors or filmmakers to say, ‘Hey, we’re thinking about X,’ it’s all over town. They were in this weird situation where they wanted to do this thing. But they knew if they called one person to tell them they were even thinking about it, cat’s out of the bag, and the narrative’s out of your control. It was a really unfortunate situation. I know from experience, people can wrap their minds around change. Surprises, they don’t like that so much. This was obviously a big surprise for a lot of people. That’s the short answer.”
So far, the reaction to this news has been all over the place. Many filmmakers, actors, and other industry professionals are upset over not being included in the decision, and how this massive shift will affect the future of the theatrical experience. Others, primarily those with no vested interest in how well a film does at the box office or if theaters survive (i.e. fans), have applauded the move because it means that some of the films that were delayed from 2020 are going to finally arrive…and free, in most cases.
Soderbergh is decidedly in the middle. A filmmaker at heart, he clearly understands both sides of the argument, but he’s been releasing films on streamers for years now. So, he also isn’t afraid of embracing what he clearly thinks is the future.
Soderbergh’s latest, “Let Them All Talk,” is available now on HBO Max.
