Soul to Disney+? Black Widow Delayed?
Reports on Wednesday said The Walt Disney Company will push Pixar’s Soul to Disney+ and again delay the release of Black Widow.
More Movie Shuffling?
Variety’s Rebecca Rubin and Brent Lang reported:
Disney will likely delay “Black Widow,” the superhero adventure from Marvel that was slated to open on Nov. 6, according to multiple individuals with knowledge of the situation. The studio is also exploring various release options for Pixar’s existential cartoon “Soul.” The animated kids’ film [remains] scheduled to release on Nov. 20, but it is unlikely to move forward with those plans. The studio is even considering releasing it on Disney Plus.
They added: A Disney insider disputed claims that “Soul” was moving to Disney Plus… [and] A spokesperson for Disney declined to comment on this report.
Variety noted that only 70% of movie theaters in the United States have reopened and Warner Brothers delayed their own pole flick, Wonder Woman 1984, until late December.
“[D]epriving exhibitors of any major releases until James Bond sequel ‘No Time to Die’ opens on Nov. 20,” reported Variety. “It is yet another sign that the U.S. box office won’t return to “normal” anytime soon.”
The Murky State Of Mulan
The Mulan, well — let’s call it what it is — debacle remains a focus, as well.
Disney’s live-action “Mulan” did little to instill confidence in the viability of movie theaters. The fantasy epic arrived below expectations in China, a market that the studio was counting on to deliver robust ticket sales. Though it opened at No. 1 on box office charts, it collected a muted $23 million during its initial weekend. “Mulan” had a hybrid release, skipping U.S. theaters to debut on Disney Plus for an extra $30. It’s unclear if “Soul” will be made available to Disney Plus subscribers free of charge or if users will need to pay a premium for access, as they did with “Mulan.” In the wake of the pandemic, Disney [moved] numerous movies straight to its streaming platform, including “Hamilton,” “Artemis Fowl” and “The One and Only Ivan.”
And, of course, there are the political ramifications of Mulan’s release:
There is no official word from The Walt Disney Company on the future of Soul and Black Widow.
However, MickeyBlog.com will continue the follow the saga of all three movies, so we’ll pick up any response or official word from The Mouse.