Rumors have been circulating for some time regarding a streaming release for upcoming DC sequel Wonder Woman 1984, and these rumors have turned out to be true, with the movie now due to hit HBO Max and theaters on December 25th. Director Patty Jenkins has now responded to the news, and it sounds like the decision came as a last resort.

"THE TIME HAS COME. At some point you have to choose to share any love and joy you have to give, over everything else. We love our movie as we love our fans, so we truly hope that our film brings a little bit of joy and reprieve to all of you this holiday season. Watch it in THEATRES, where it is made safe to do so (check out the great work theatres have done to make it so!) And available in the safety of your home on HBOMAX where it is not. Happy holidays to all of you. We hope you enjoy our film as much as we enjoyed making it."

Jenkins' disappointment with the decision to release Wonder Woman 1984 to streaming is understandable, as for months the director has declared that the movie would not go down that route and would hit theaters as planned. Back in October, Jenkins said, "Direct-to-streaming is not even being discussed. We are still 100% behind the theatrical experience for (Wonder Woman 1984) and supporting our beloved theater business." Evidently, something changed.

The much-anticipated sequel to the 2017 hit, Wonder Woman, finds Gal Gadot once again suiting up as the titular DC icon. Wonder Woman 1984 drops the Amazonian superhero in the 1980s, with the sequel finding Diana at the height of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The comic book sequel finds Diana Prince coming into conflict with not one, but two formidable foes in the form of Kristen Wiig's Barbara Ann Minerva aka Cheetah and Pedro Pascal's media businessman Maxwell Lord. If that was not already enough for her to contend with, Diana will also be reunited with her former love-interest Steve Trevor, once again played by Chris Pine, who has returned from the dead under mysterious, and possibly nefarious circumstances.

Wonder Woman 1984 is directed by Patty Jenkins from a script she wrote with Geoff Johns and David Callaham and a story by Johns and Jenkins, and once again stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman.

Following the news that Wonder Woman 1984 will hit HBO Max and theaters simultaneously, Warner Media released an official statement detailing why the studio came to this frankly momentous decision. "Today we announced that Wonder Woman 1984, the eagerly anticipated tentpole film by Patty Jenkins -- with Gal Gadot and Chris Pine reprising their roles as Diana Prince and Steve Trevor -- is going to be released worldwide in theaters on December 25th," Warner Media CEO Jason Kilar said in his statement. "In the United States, we will also be making this remarkable movie available on HBO Max at no extra cost the same day that Wonder Woman 1984 premieres in theaters, for the first month of the film's release."

"This incredible movie will be available both ways on the exact same day," he continued. "If you are fortunate to live in a place where theaters are open, we believe we are offering a great option given the Cinema Safe protocols our partners have put in place. With this, exhibitors are offering a movie-going experience with social distancing, masks, cleaning and ventilation protocols. On the other hand, if you and your family prefer to stay in and make your own popcorn this holiday, we want to share the experience of Wonder Woman 1984 with you the exact same day on HBO Max. It's your decision to make."

Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group added, "We appreciate how patient audiences have been and given the great anticipation around WONDER WOMAN 1984 we are grateful to be able to make this terrifically entertaining movie widely available in these challenging times." So, you can see Wonder Woman 1984 in theaters and on HBO Max on Christmas Day. This comes to us from Patty Jenkins' official Twitter account.