The fallout from the Warner Bros. film bombshell continues. Last week Warner Bros. made the insane decision to release all of their films scheduled for 2021 on HBO Max. Films like Dune and Godzilla Vs. Kong that should be enjoyed on a big screen will debut on their streaming service. Granted, in places where theaters are allowed to open the films will also play there. But we have already seen the effect that this announcement has had on the Cinemark and AMC Theaters stock. So far, by the reactions of many, it would seem that Warner Bros. has made a huge mistake. But here is an interesting twist.

Warner Bros. first rocked the film industry by announcing that Wonder Woman 1984 would be released on HBO Max on Christmas Day. Then later came the other seventeen films from 2021. But a report from The New York Times claims that the star of the film Gal Gadot and director Patty Jenkins were each paid $10 million by Warner Bros. to support their film’s simultaneous release on HBO Max and theaters.

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The report says that Warner Bros. contacted the talent agencies for both Gadot and Jenkins. They wanted both of them to be on board with their plan to release Wonder Woman 1984. Apparently, both agencies reported by asking how their clients would be compensated for the change. The end result of the negotiations was that both Jenkins and Gadot would each be getting paid more than $10 million. The argument the agents made was that they should be paid what the film would have made if it wasn’t for the coronavirus pandemic that caused the theaters to shut down.

If this is true, this could be set a dangerous and expensive precedent for Warner Bros. with other films. I can see other stars and directors coming forward and demanding their cut of compliance. If this backlash continues, I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up having to scale back their ambitious plan to release all of the 2021 films on HBO Max. Also, does this mean that Jenkins and Gadot would not support this move without a pay day? The one thing we know for sure is that this is only the beginning of the many consequences of their decision.

What do you think of Gadot and Jenkins getting a payday to support Wonder Woman 1984‘s move to HBO Max? Let us know in the comment section below!

Warner Bros. Pictures’ Wonder Woman 1984 will debut in international markets on December 16th, 2020. Then on HBO Max on December 25th, 2020.

Source: The New York Times via Comic Book Resources