Disney Announces New Slate of Releases as it Looks to Dominate Summer Box Office
Disney announced today in a press release their new lineup for the summer season headlined by the news of day & date releases of ‘Cruella’ and ‘Black Widow.’ Along with that they have announced the shifting of several other films release dates. ‘Black Widow,’ which had been delayed since last year, seems to have finally gotten a firm release date on July 9th. ‘Cruella’ will find itself as the initiating force for this new lineup with a release date of May 28th.
This news comes off of a dismal theatrical run from ‘Raya and The Last Dragon’ ($71.3 million with a $100 million dollar budget). Despite these numbers Disney has called the release a success, presumably due to the Disney+ Premier Access, which costs $30 plus the cost of subscription. This supplementation is likely the reasoning behind their decision to release their two large event films simultaneously in theatres and on Disney Plus. Their streaming service has become a sort of protective blanket in COVID times. It may hint at studios being uncertain of major theatrical runs in the near future as they are using streaming services to protect themselves from box office failure.
Another major update from Disney is that ‘Luca,’ Disney’s new Pixar film, will be released exclusively to Disney+. ‘Luca’ is now slated for June 18th to be streamed by millions of Disney+ accounts. In international markets where Disney+ is not yet available, Luca will be released theatrically, with premiere dates to be announced. It will fit right in between ‘Cruella’ and ‘Black Widow’ as they hope to garner momentum for the streaming service between the three films.
“Today’s announcement reflects our focus on providing consumer choice and serving the evolving preferences of audiences. 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,” said Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution.
This latest announcement from Disney mirrors that of the Warner Bros and HBO Max deal as the major studios are still trying to navigate Covid-19. As vaccines are becoming more widely available in America, the theatre industry hopes to get back to business as usual. However, in international markets, the opening of theatres may vary depending the country’s handling of COVID-19 and the vaccine, putting a wrench in traditional film premieres, and box office returns. The way Disney is handling this unpredictable situation may be a sign of how major studios will handle film releases in the future.
Announced changes to Disney theatrical release dateS:
Free Guy shifted from May 21, 2021 to August 13, 2021
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings shifted from July 9, 2021 to September 3, 2021
The King’s Man shifted from August 20, 2021 to December 22, 2021
Deep Water shifted from August 13, 2021 to January 14, 2022
Death on the Nile shifted from September 17, 2021 to February 11, 2022