Disney CEO Bob Chapek has confirmed that Black widow, the next big Marvel movie for the MCU, remains on the theatrical release schedule for next May 7, 2021.
According to Deadline, Chapek referred to the premiere of Black Widow at Disney’s annual shareholders meeting on Tuesday, as it offered the latest update on the company’s plans for the Cate Shortland-directed film, which was originally scheduled for release. in May of last year. Speaking at the event, Chapek reaffirmed Disney and Marvel’s intentions for the theatrical release, something that had recently been nuanced by Disney itself.
“As we have said, we believe it is important to put the consumer in charge and let them decide how they want to enjoy our movies, especially as we navigate the pandemic. [COVID-19]”Chapek explained. “We are really excited about the full list of movies we have on the way. Next up is Black Widow, currently opening in theaters on May 7.”, he concluded.
Chapek previously spoke about the company’s commitment to release the Scarlett Johansson-directed film on the big screen, though he also acknowledged that the situation required continued vigilance, with strategies that could be reassessed when necessary. Reportedly, the company’s considerations include the status of movie theater closings, as well as audience demand for the theater experience.
There has been speculation for a while now whether Black Widow could debut on Disney +, and the rumors picked up shortly after Disney began to change course with several of its other releases initially planned for theaters only. Mulan premiered on Disney + in September for a premium price of $ 29.99, while Pixar’s Soul skipped theaters and headed to the streaming platform in December at no additional cost to subscribers.
Around the same time, a report appeared about the company reflecting on the Disney + premieres for some of its other family movies. Without going any further, we saw Disney + launch its new animated fantasy film, Stripe and the Last Dragon, through Premier Access, a service that costs subscribers 29.99. However, according to the report, Chapek made no mention of Raya’s financial success during the recent meeting.
Black Widow’s release date of May 7, 2021 is almost exactly one year after its original release date (May 1, 2020). The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic first led Disney to push the film until November 6, 2020, before the company decided to change that date again. However, it was reported in March of last year, via an anonymous Marvel source, that “pushing Black Widow didn’t affect anything in the MCU timeline.”.
However, the rescheduling of the Black Widow premiere caused a waterfall effect for the rest of the MCU movies planned on the schedule, as every other title on Marvel’s dock changed.
