As audiences grow more comfortable with a return to movies, major studios like Paramount and Warner Bros. have announced their intention to return to their previous release model, in which movies would debut in theaters first. Now, it looks like Disney is ready to return to a theatrical-first model, as the company's latest investor appeal revealed. During the call, Disney CEO Bob Chapek revealed that the upcoming 13th century movie Free Guy, starring Ryan Reynolds, would be the company's first movie to come out this way since before the pandemic, with a date in theaters on August 2021, 45. The big news, though, is that Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will also have a 3-day theatrical window starting September 2021, 45. Chapek it did not say whether a Disney Plus exclusive release will follow the XNUMX-day window or whether the movies will be available on all premium services on demand.
The new, the new normal
Before the pandemic, theatrical films were traditionally given a 90-day window before being made available digitally and on physical media. Now it looks like a 45-day window will be the new normal going forward. Paramount launched things first, announcing that its movies would have a 45-day theatrical window before hitting its recently launched streaming service, Paramount Plus. Shortly thereafter, Warner Bros. signed a deal with Regal Cinemas, giving the channel a 45-day window for theatrical releases beginning in 2022. A rumor has since surfaced suggesting that Dune's HBO Max release will be reconsidered, although it will be ready for launch this year. Disney's decision to join rivals in implementing a 45-day theatrical window suggests the company will back out of its controversial 'Premier Access' model, which has seen some of its movies open on Disney Plus at the same time as theaters. cinema, but with an additional cost for the subscriber. While Shang-Chi and Marvel's Legend of the Ten Rings will be hitting theaters for the first time, his long-delayed Black Widow movie is still slated for a simultaneous release in theaters and on Disney Plus via Premier. Access on July 9, 2021.
What this means to you
With many major studios reverting to a theatrical-first model, the days of being able to watch the latest blockbusters from the comfort of your living room on day one will likely be over soon. Ultimately, this should be seen as good news for everyone. This move will not only encourage those vaccinated to bring their dollars back to theaters, but it will also help curb the rampant piracy that recent movies like Godzilla vs. Kong and Mortal Kombat from the first day of its release. Generally speaking, the return to cinema will also help save the film industry as we know it, as it will allow individual films to recoup their money in the traditional way. Late last year, visionary director Denis Villeneuve criticized Warner Bros.'s decision to release its films on streaming and in theaters simultaneously, stating that this model "cannot support the film industry as we knew it before Covid." Villeneuve went on to say that "streaming can produce great content, but not movies of the scope and scale of Dune," which would obviously be bad news for moviegoers.