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It hasn’t been that long since the big announcement was made surrounding director Patty Jenkins’ DC sequel Wonder Woman 1984, and its now streaming debut on HBO Max by the end of the year. History was made, as this commitment is something that truly opens up the future of blockbuster releases potentially starting life in theaters and streaming. But now, WarnerMedia has announced that the return of Gal Gadot’s metahuman crusader will make history in another important way: it’s the first title to gain 4K support on the HBO Max platform.
Quite possibly a more contentious issue than the fact that HBO Max found itself without Amazon or Roku device support upon opening, Wonder Woman 1984 seems to be signaling that yet another big bone the consumer has picked with the relatively young streaming service will soon be addressed. Per the studio's statement, Wonder Woman 1984 will be available, “in 4K Ultra HD, HDR 10, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos,” when it makes its big debut on the HBO Max platform. And that's not the end of the good news that stems from this historic occasion.
As predicted, this announcement will probably inspire a tide of customers to wonder whether a Roku deal would be in the works before Wonder Woman 1984’s release later this month. Not to mention, the question of 4K/Dolby support throughout the rest of the HBO Max library is now a going concern as well. Sure enough, WarnerMedia’s official announcement kind of addressed those concerns with the following language:
HBO Max will expand these capabilities to further films and TV series, as well as adding support for additional devices, throughout 2021.
So while you’ll be able to see the long awaited sequel to 2017’s Wonder Woman in the comfort of your own home, with top notch picture and sound, it looks like similar support will be a waiting game. Not to mention, the Roku loyalists will be in that same boat, as the sound of that statement doesn’t hold any hope for a Christmas miracle will solve this thorn in the platform's side. But even in this very localized context, this is pretty big news.
While competitors like Netflix and Disney+ have already boasted 4K support, having Wonder Woman 1984 usher in even just a taste of that sort of experience says a lot about the home viewing experience that could await movie fans in the future. Now, blockbusters can debut in the home with a potential for visuals that are on par with, and potentially better than, the theatrical experience. It’s a fact that’s not lost on director, and proponent of the theatrical experience, Patty Jenkins, as she made the following announcement around the time the news had broken:
The wait for Wonder Woman 1984 is dwindling with each passing day. The film will open in theaters internationally, where available, on December 16th; with HBO Max’s streaming release starting domestically on December 25th, for a month long window of availability. If you’re not a subscriber yet, but want to get in on the action in time for this big ticket debut, you can check out a 7-day free trial of HBO Max, and see what the fuss is about.
