Although it will have an exclusive theatrical debut, Shang-Chi will release online not long after it comes out in theaters. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the latest blockbuster to come from Marvel Studios, but it's markedly different from all the movies that came before it. It explores a new corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and sets the stage for yet another mystery to be solved in Phase 4.
Ever since mid-2020, Disney has been experimenting with their tentpole releases, because there's only so much they can do with the pandemic still raging. First, Mulan debuted exclusively on Disney+ Premier Access. Next, Pixar's Soul and Luca both released on Disney+ for free. Then, Disney had hybrid releases both in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access, such as Cruella, Jungle Cruise, and of course, Black Widow, which Scarlett Johansson has sued Disney over. The studio's first movie to release only in theaters was Free Guy, which was primarily due to existing agreements from before Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox. But those same agreements didn't apply to Shang-Chi.
Shang-Chi is the first Disney and Marvel-made movie to come out only in theaters. However, Shang-Chi will soon release online due to the fact that, instead of having a traditional 90-day run in theaters, it will have a new, 45-day exclusive debut. After that, Shang-Chi should release on Disney+ on Monday, October 18, 2021. Disney CEO Bob Chapek called this release model an "interesting experiment," and while Shang-Chi star Simu Liu expressed displeasure with that statement, the strategy is quite new for Disney; how it plays out could affect future films, including Marvel ones.
The 45-day model is something multiple studios are embracing. It cuts the age-old 90-day window down by half and allows studios to reap the benefits of putting their films on their in-house streaming services while audiences still have the movies on their minds. This was notable with A Quiet Place Part II, which had an exclusive release in theaters, but was put on Paramount+ 45 days after came out. It continued to push the movie's popularity and gave it a second wave to thrive in.
It's unclear if Shang-Chi will be available to rent elsewhere or if audiences will have to subscribe to Disney+ to watch the film. Everyone's doing something different nowadays; Warner Bros has been releasing their movies day-and-date both in theaters and on streaming, but removing the films one month after their debut. Then the movies return on HBO Max a few months later. Sony Pictures doesn't have a streaming service of their own (yet), and Paramount+ has their 45-day plan - and now, so does Disney. For Hollywood, this is the new normal, to some extent, and for Disney, Shang-Chi will likely show how successful it will (or won't) be.
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