After the success of Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings, Disney has announced that the rest of its film slate this year will be released in theaters before heading to its streaming service.
“Following the tremendous box office success of our summer films which included five of the top eight domestic releases of the year, we are excited to update our theatrical plans for the remainder of 2021,” Kareem Daniel, chairman, Disney media & entertainment distribution said in a news release, adding that “confidence in moviegoing continues to improve.”
Most of the Disney movies being released later this year will receive a 45 day window before heading to Disney+. This includes The Last Duel, Ron’s Gone Wrong, Eternals, West Side Story and The King’s Man. Disney’s animated film, Encanto, will receive a 30 day window before arriving on Disney+.
This announcement comes after there has been many questions about how movies will be released after Cruella, Black Widow, and The Jungle Cruise were all released in theaters and also on Disney+ with an additional charge on the same day. This led to Scarlett Johansson suing Disney for breach of contract as she said her contract promised an exclusive theatrical release. It is unknown how that lawsuit will be resolved at this point.
Disney releasing its movies in the theaters comes as welcome news for theaters that are struggling to regain their footing after being closed due to the pandemic. Many studios began to lean on streaming platforms during the pandemic and have continued to focus on building them up.
What do you think about Disney releasing the rest of its 2021 movie slate theatrically? Have you been back into theaters yet? Are you going to see any of these movies in theaters? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
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