Mulan and Black Widow could launch straight on a streaming service − will it be Disney Plus?
Disney is rumoured to be considering launching Black Widow and Mulan straight to digital release, due to the coronavirus outbreak’s effect on cinema scheduling.
Fans are already wondering whether this will mean releasing the films in a purchasable digital format, via third parties like Sky and Amazon, or taking the unusual step of letting them go straight onto Disney Plus, for subscribers to access without further charges.
Related: Sky Store is showing movies as they premiere to stop you going to the cinema
YouTuber Grace Randolph claimed that she had heard from relevant sources that Disney is indeed considering a straight to streaming move for both Black Widow and Mulan.
So I did some digging with all the chatter today, and apparently #Disney IS considering releasing not just #BlackWidow but also #Mulan straight to streaming.
Price points, purchase vs rental, when to #DisneyPlus all still up in the air.
Developing… pic.twitter.com/cusULkYmQW
— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) March 28, 2020
Black Widow, which stars Scarlett Johansson, had been scheduled to release in cinemas in May 1. The titular hero has seen a huge boost to her popularity since appearing in recent instalments of The Avengers. Notably, Avengers: Endgame became the highest grossing film of all time when it released last year.
Mulan, another female-led all-action title, has been much-talked-about by Disney fans. The live-action remake of the classic 1998 animated film was scheduled for a March release but now seems likely to debut digitally instead.
Related: Tempted by Disney Plus? Try before you buy with a seven-day free trial
Disney also cut-short of the theatre release of The Personal History of David Copperfield, (which had been screened in the UK, but not yet in the US), starring Dev Patel and abandoned the theatrical release of The Woman in the Window, which would have been released April 15.
These Disney releases are part of a wider theme, forced on film distributors by the outbreak of the coronavirus. With most cinemas closed, film-makers are having to get creative, or be patient, in order to get their work seen.
Take a look at our article below to see which other feature films will be heading online sooner than planned…
Related: Here’s the full list of films releasing early to streaming and on-demand services
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
