Disney announced on Friday that all its upcoming films will release exclusively in theatres. The movies will get a 45-day theatrical run before moving to streaming platforms.
According to a report by The Guardian, Marvel’s Eternals, Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel and Steven Spielberg’s Westside Story will be screened exclusively in theatres for 45 days. However, the upcoming animated musical Encanto will have a theatrical run of 30 days before shifting to a digital platform.
According to Variety, Kareem Daniel, the chairman of Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution said, “Following the tremendous box office success of our summer films which included five of the top eight domestic releases of the year, we are excited to update our theatrical plans for the remainder of 2021. As confidence in moviegoing continues to improve, we look forward to entertaining audiences in theaters, while maintaining the flexibility to give our Disney Plus subscribers the gift of ‘Encanto’ this holiday season.”
The entertainment company’s decision came after the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings. Following a theatrical release, the film collected $166 million worldwide at the box office. The film marks Marvel Studios‘ first release in theatres after two years.
Prior to the film’s release, CEO Bob Chapek called it “an interesting experiment for all of us” considering how other films were being released in theatres and streaming platforms simultaneously. Both Black Widow and Cruella were released in this fashion.
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However, the decision regarding Black Widow’s release caused a major controversy with actor Scarlet Johansson suing the company. She alleged that the move reduced her earnings as it was based on the film’s box office performance.
Along with the announcement, Disney also announced the release dates for its upcoming films. The Last Duel is expected to release on October 15, while Eternals will hit the screens on November 5. West Side Story will release on December 10.