Disney is not planning to debut Black Widow on-demand, but Mulan's release strategy will not be a one-off for the studio. The live-action Mulan remake was originally supposed to come out theatrically in March, just as the coronavirus pandemic started to take a turn for the worse. As a result, Disney repeatedly delayed Mulan's release, pushing it back to July and then August before removing it entirely from the 2020 slate. With many movie theaters still closed due to coronavirus concerns, it's unknown when it will be safe for them to reopen - or when viewers will feel safe to go back to the multiplex.
Looking to adjust to the current times, Disney made the massive announcement Mulan will go straight to Disney+ in September, with subscribers paying a $29.99 fee to watch the film. On the heels of Universal's unprecedented deal with AMC Theatres, this move could potentially be monumental for the film industry; Mulan is the type of movie that might have grossed $1 billion in a normal year. The development has many wondering if Disney's other blockbusters will get similar treatment, but right now that isn't in the cards. However, what's happening with Mulan doesn't sound like it'll be a one-off.
During Disney's latest earnings call, Disney CEO Bob Chapek was asked if their Mulan plan could serve as a blueprint for other tentpoles - namely Marvel's Black Widow. In his response, Chapek stated, "we're looking at Mulan as a one-off." However, according to Verge's Julia Alexander, a Disney+ source told her, "We've put in enough work that it's not a one-off." You can see Chapek's full quote and Alexander's tweet in the space below:
"We're very pleased to bring Mulan to the consumer base who has been waiting for it. we're fortunate we have the opportunity to bring it to our own direct to consumer platform. but we're looking at Mulan as a one-off. That said, we find it interesting to be able to take a new offering to consumers and learn from it. Seeing the uptake of subscribers plus the number of transactions we get on the platform of that premium VOD offering."
What's fascinating about Chapek's comments is it makes Mulan sound like a guinea pig in a larger experiment that could fundamentally alter the movie business. That Disney+ straight-up said Mulan's release isn't a one-off shouldn't come as a surprise. If Mulan has a successful launch and is able to draw in a plethora of new subscribers, the Mouse House will almost certainly implement this model for other titles going forward. In all likelihood, the studio was attempting to downplay things right now as a means of placating theater owners (many of whom were banking on Mulan to drum up business this summer). It speaks volumes that after remaining committed to giving Mulan a proper theatrical release for a long time, Disney's shifted gears and is going the VOD route. This feels like a test to see if this formula would be viable for other films, like Black Widow. There was concern Trolls World Tour's VOD release wasn't as successful as initially believed, but Mulan is a film with much wider appeal.
During the pandemic, much has been said about the importance of preserving the theatrical experience, but in some cases, movies have been delayed several times after the studio poured millions into a marketing campaign. Considering the size of these investments, it's too risky to release a $200 million tentpole only in theaters now. Disney's doing their part to appease theaters by putting Mulan out in select markets, but they've also found another avenue to generate revenue, while guaranteeing viewers peace of mind. If Mulan is a hit, it probably won't just be Disney following this game plan. Other studios with their own streaming services (Warner Bros.) will be keeping a close eye on how Mulan performs.
Source: Disney, Julia Alexander
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