Disney in a press release on Tuesday announced postponements of seven of its films, including Black Widow and Cruella, and said that both the films will be released simultaneously on Disney+ Premier Access as well as in theatres.
Black Widow is now slated for July 9, moving back from its previous May 7 date, while Cruella will release on May 28.
Both the films will be available to Disney+ subscribers for an additional $30 for the premier access. The studio had previously released Mulan, and Raya and the Last Dragon for the same price through the Premier Access platform.
Kareem Daniel, the chairman of Disney Media and Entertainment distribution, said in the press release that the 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,” he said.
Black Widow, starring Scarlett Johansson, was first set to hit the big screen on May 1, 2020. Since then, it has been delayed several times due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The film, which is directed by Cate Shortland, picks up where Captain America: Civil War (2016) leaves off.
Cruella, on the other hand, stars Emma Stone and Emma Thompson. The film is directed by Craig Gillespie and the release date has remained unchanged.
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Similar to the earlier launch of Disney and Pixar’s Soul, their next titled Luca will also stream directly on Disney+ from June 18, making it a summer release. The press release also revealed that in international markets where Disney+ is not yet available, the film will be released theatrically. The premiere date for the same will be announced soon.
Among the other films which have been rescheduled by Disney, Ryan Reynolds’ Free Guy will release August 13, which is three months later than the earlier announced date. Matthew Vaughn’s The King’s Man has moved back four months to December 22, Adrian Lyne’s Deep Water will release on January 14, 2022, and Kenneth Branagh’s Death on the Nile will be out on Feb. 11, 2022, which is five months later than the earlier date set.