Wonder Woman is hanging out on Doritos bags, mocking movie fans.
Right next to the image of Gal Gadot is the reminder that her much-anticipated superhero sequel, “Wonder Woman 1984,” is in theaters June 5. Or at least it would be if the coronavirus hadn’t happened, closing theaters across the nation and pushing the film’s release back to August. But with every day bringing more COVID-19 cases and deaths, moviegoers have to wonder if they’ll be waiting even longer.
“It’s funny to see all these blockbusters that usually overtake our Targets and Walmarts, and all the products that we know and love, still plastered with the old dates,” says Jeff Bock, senior box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations. “They’re just lying to us now.”
In a non-pandemic world, Marvel’s “Black Widow” would be a few weeks into its theatrical run and maybe even tearing up the box office right now – instead, the Scarlett Johansson prequel is arriving Nov. 6, though anything is possible with the industry up in the air and seemingly evolving before our eyes. Studios have shifted nearly all of their films to later this year or into 2021. Others have moved to streaming, not without some controversy: The animated sequel “Trolls World Tour” made more than $100 million with a digital-only debut, which sparked a cold war between Universal and theater chains.
So when can fans expect to see their favorites in theaters again? Bock and other experts answer a few burning questions about the uncertain future of moviegoing:
