Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings arrives on Disney Plus in mid-October, but its delayed release on the streamer could still affect its box office performance. Speaking on the company's third-quarter earnings calls on August 12 (before the deadline), Disney CEO Bob Chapek revealed that Marvel's Shang-Chi is coming to Disney Plus 45 days after its premiere. In theaters September 3. Dubbed an "interesting experience" by Chapek, Shang-Chi will forgo the simultaneous day-and-date release that Black Widow had back in July, but will it work? Initially, Shang-Chi was supposed to be released exclusively in theaters on September 3. However, with Covid cases skyrocketing in some parts of the world as a result of the rise in Delta variant cases, Disney made the decision to bring the Marvel movie to its streaming platform. . His arrival on Disney Plus, however, will not arrive until mid-October. Chapek cited the "last-minute trade practice" (per collider), due to exclusivity deals he already had with movie networks for Shang-Chi, as the main reason for the giant's decision. Elaborating on Shang-Chi's unusual release schedule (via ComicBook.com), Chapek said, "It's going to be an interesting experience for us... The prospect of being able to put a Marvel title on the service after it arrives to theaters for 45 days, this will be yet another piece of information to inform our future actions on our titles." So it seems Disney doesn't want to risk developing any more disagreements between it and the movie networks. Following Black Widow's poor second week at the box office, the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) criticized Disney's decision to simultaneously release the Marvel movie in theaters and on Disney Plus, a choice it says will NATO was one of the main causes of Black Widow. . huge box office collapse. So it seems the decision regarding Shang-Chi's delayed Disney Plus release is twofold: appease theater owners by allowing them to make so much money off ticket sales for a six-week exclusivity period, and allow let Disney see if audiences prefer a 45-day theatrical release window (and, subsequently, the delayed release of Disney Plus) over a day-and-date release schedule. The problem with the latter, though, is that Marvel fans (and moviegoers in general) are already making the decision to see Shang-Chi on Disney Plus in October instead of seeing him on the big screen. < p lang="en" dir="ltr">I heard that @Disney @disneyplus @MarvelStudios has decided not to release Shang-Chi on Disney+ with Premier Access (aka +30 to watch). You get €0 from me. I'll check it out when it hits Disney+ "for free." Never go to the movies before the pandemic is over. August 13, 2021 See More Following the announcement that Shang-Chi is coming to Disney Plus six weeks after its theatrical release, fans took to social media to say they would wait until it lands on the streamer to check it out. This is an understandable position to take, especially in the United States, where cases of the Delta variant are rising rapidly. Of course, some Marvel fans risk seeing Shang-Chi ruined if they wait, but if moviegoers don't feel safe going to the movies while Covid cases are rising, many will likely wait until he lands on Disney Plus. (and mute specific words on social media to avoid spoilers). Will Shang-Chi's delayed Disney Plus release affect his box office performance then? In our opinion, yes. The movie arrives on Labor Day for American audiences, so it should do well on a holiday weekend (while still selling a lot of tickets at the global box office). Given that it will be available for free in the homes of Disney Plus subscribers just 45 days after its theatrical release, we suspect that many Marvel fans will be waiting to see it in October, and that will be another blow to the loom industry and , by proxy, the profit margins of Marvel and Disney.