More WEST SIDE STORY fallout? MARRY ME goes day-and-date.

Just two weeks ago, we identified MARRY ME as “a movie to root for”. Today it was announced that the Valentine’s Day romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson will be released theatrically and on Peacock.

We had hoped that the era of hybrid releases was coming to an end with THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS. That film is the last of the 2021 Warner Bros. films that were earmarked for day-and-date back in late 2020. But, in light of WEST SIDE STORY’s inability to attract older and female audiences, Universal can’t necessarily be blamed for hedging their bets.

Still, this is a disappointing turn of events. We certainly hope this is not the first in a string of female-skewing films that skip the multiplexes.