Warner Bros. Pictures announced that the highly anticipated superhero film WONDER WOMAN 1984 will be released simultaneously in theaters and on the HBO Max streaming platform in the U.S. on December 25, while debuting theatrically in international markets a week earlier starting on December 16. The film will be available for a month on HBO Max in the U.S. included at no additional cost to subscribers. 

Principal photography was finished in July 2019

Discussion of a sequel began shortly after the release of the first film in June 2017 and the decision to proceed was confirmed the following month. Wonder Woman 1984 is the ninth film in the DC Extended Universe. The principal photography began on June 13, 2018, with filming taking place at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in England, as well as the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia in the United States, London and Duxford in England, Tenerife and Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands and Almería in Andalusia, Spain, and finished on December 22, 2018, after a six-month shoot. Additional filming took place in July 2019. However, the release was delayed…

WONDER WOMAN 1984: Delay after delay

WONDER WOMAN 1984 (WW84) has had seven release dates, the first being December 20th, 2019. Then it was moved up to November 8th, 2019 in order to avoid competing against Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Once it was announced that the 25th James Bond film was to leave its originally scheduled November 1st spot, Warner Bros. moved the film’s release up another week, in order to take an extra week advantage. The fourth was when it was pushed back by 7 months to June 5th, 2020 as Warner Bros. realized the success of the first film’s June 2nd, 2017 release. The fifth change was made on March 24th, 2020 when it was moved to August 14, 2020, due to concerns about the COVID-19 virus. It was again moved to Oct. 2 in June when Warner Brothers shifted its entire schedule of upcoming films. Then, in Sept., it was pushed once more to Dec. 25, 2020.

Theaters + streaming release

After examining Tenet results (which was screened only in selected theaters), Warner Bros has decided to offer the streaming options as well. As stated by Ann Sarnoff, Chair and CEO, WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group, which includes Warner Bros. Pictures: “This is an amazing film that really comes to life on the big screen and, working with our partners in the exhibition community, we will provide that option to consumers in the U.S. where theaters are open. We realize that a lot of consumers can’t go back to the movies due to the pandemic, so we also want to give them the option to see WONDER WOMAN 1984 via our HBO Max platform.” Thus, WW84 was set to open in domestic theaters on December 25, 2020, in 2D and 3D in select theaters and IMAX, it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.  The film will also premiere on HBO Max in the U.S. on December 25, 2020.

This is an amazing film that really comes to life on the big screen and, working with our partners in the exhibition community, we will provide that option to consumers in the U.S. where theaters are open.

Ann Sarnoff, Chair and CEO, WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group

WW84 was shot entirely on film

Maybe because it’s supposed to reflect the great 1980s, the entire WW84 was shot on film cameras. Director Patty Jenkins and cinematographer Matthew Jensen wanted to grant the film a heroic neon nostalgic glow that reminds our beloved 80’s. These are the cameras were used to shoot Wonder Woman 1984:

• Arriflex 235, Panavision Primo Lenses
• Arriflex 435, Panavision Primo Lenses
• Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2

We wrote a dedicated article that summarizes those great film cameras (read: Wonder Woman 1984 Was Shot Entirely on Film: Another Proof that Film is Alive and Kicking!)  Moreover, part of the film was shot on 70mm IMAX cameras (IMAX MSM 9802) and expand aspect ratio during select sequences. That means 1984 will be screened in IMAX theaters as well. No digital cameras were used.

Part of the film was shot on 70mm IMAX cameras (IMAX MSM 9802) and expand aspect ratio during select sequences. That means 1984 will be screened in IMAX theaters as well. No digital cameras were used.

Watch the Wonder Woman 1984, starring Gal Gadot – Official Main Trailer: