Black Widow to release in theatres

 Black Widow to release in theatres, on Disney+ at the same time

The Walt Disney Co. on Tuesday overhauled its upcoming film release plans, postponing some of its biggest films and shifting Marvel’s Black Widow, among other titles, to Disney+ the same time they arrive in theatres.

Black Widow, once planned to debut in May 2020, had been set to kickoff the summer movie season on May 7. It will instead premiere July 9. And it will do so simultaneously on the company’s streaming platform for a $30 early-access fee.

For theatres, which are beginning to reopen after punishing months of closure due to the pandemic, the announcement was a blow to hopes of an imminent recovery. While bigger and bigger films have turned to streaming and premium-on-demand in recent months, Marvel movies are Hollywood’s most bankable box-office behemoths.

Disney will instead launch its summer with Cruella on its previously scheduled date, May 28. The 101 Dalmatians spinoff with Emma Stone will also premiere in both theatres and on Disney+ for $30 — the same hybrid approach the studio took with the recent release of Raya and the Last Dragon.

Disney has not announced viewing data on Raya and the Last Dragon but on Tuesday called its performance “successful.”

“Today’s announcement reflects our focus on providing consumer choice and serving the evolving preferences of audiences,” said Kareem Daniel, Disney’s distribution chief. “By leveraging a flexible distribution strategy in a dynamic marketplace that is beginning to recover from the global pandemic, we will continue to employ the best options to deliver The Walt Disney Company’s unparalleled storytelling to fans and families around the world.”

The Pixar film Luca will bypass theatres entirely. On June 18, it will debut exclusively on Disney+. In December when announcing an ambitious array of streaming programming, the company suggested that Disney+ would regularly be home to Pixar, among other brands.

Over the next few years, Disney is planning to premiere directly on Disney+ not just an armada of Star Wars and Marvel series but 15 live-action, Pixar and animated series, and 15 live-action, Pixar and animated movies.