Warner puts Asia first with 45-day streaming window for movies

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The era of home cinema has made movies more accessible for the masses, especially with the current practice of simultaneous release on both streamers and theatres.

Warner Media is no exception to the trend, as it prepares to roll out a 45-day window policy for Warner Bros. films in parts of Asia, where audiences in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong will be able to enjoy major theatrical titles less than seven weeks after entering cinemas.

Under this new strategy, feature film releases are set to vary from territory to territory, with streaming launches adjusted accordingly. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It – now available on HBO Go in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia – is the first movie out of the blocks, and Space Jam: A New Legacy will be next on the list.

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The LeBron James-led movie is heading to the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan on Sept 3, before landing in Thailand on Oct 17. Details on the launch date for Indonesia, meanwhile, have yet to be announced. In the Heights will then follow through and premiere on 16 September in all markets except Vietnam.

“This new windowing strategy is great news for fans that haven’t been able to catch our movies in cinemas. With the addition of the latest Warner Bros. movie slate, HBO GO continues its reputation as the region’s exclusive streaming home for the very biggest and best from the world of entertainment,” said Amit Malhotra, Managing Director for HBO Max / HBO GO in Southeast Asia and India.

Other new titles from Warner Bros. that are expected to release in 2021 include Reminiscence, Dune, Malignant, Cry Macho, The Many Saints of Newark, King Richard, and The Matrix: Resurrections. There has also not been any word on when HBO Max will launch in Asia, but it’s likely to replace HBO Go when it finally does so.

This article was first published in Geek Culture.