Disney officially announced it will significantly postpone the theatrical releases for upcoming Marvel films Black Widow and Eternals.
Both movies had already pushed back their releases in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Black Widow, originally set to debut back in May, set a new theatrical release for November 6. Now, Disney officially pushed the film again. Black Widow now plans to release on May 7, 2021.
Unsurprisingly, other Marvel releases will subsequently be pushed back too. Eternals, which first held the November 2020 slot given to Black Widow, then moved to February 2021. With the most recent delays, the new release for Eternals is now November 5, 2021.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings also changed its debut, though it’s a less significant jump. Shang-Chi moves from May 7, 2021 to July 9, 2021.
The shifting schedule comes after the movie industry struggled to revive theaters in the last few months. Around 70% of movie theaters in the US have reopened. However, they remain closed in key markets like New York and Los Angeles. Plus, the open theaters are mostly operating at a significantly reduced capacity. All in all, that means it’s a lot harder for studios to bring in the box office bucks.
Warner Bros. elected to release Christopher Nolan’s Tenet – a decision the studio probably now regrets, given its disappointing performance. Warner Bros. later announced it would push its own superhero flick Wonder Woman 1984 to a Christmas release.
More Shifting Release Schedules
Several other films also announced their theatrical releases would be delayed.
Steven Spielberg’s updated West Side Story moves a full year to December 10, 2021.
Kenneth Branagh’s Agatha Christie mystery/thriller Death on the Nile will still debut this year. However, it moves from October to a December 18 release.
Somewhat surprisingly, Disney did not push back the release for upcoming Pixar animated flick Soul. (It seems the studio believes the November 20 release will be late enough for the theatrical landscape to change.)
So, what do you think about Marvel’s shifting schedule? Are you ready to head back to the theater?
Source: Variety
