Hollywood continues to be hit by the Coronavirus. Just a week after No Time To Die was pushed back to November, and days after Fast & Furious 9 was delayed an entire year, Disney has announced that Mulan and The New Mutants have been pulled from release. Both films were due for release within the next few weeks.
The studio hasn’t announced rescheduled release dates, but are reportedly exploring dates later this year. At this point though, it might be better to take a wait and see approach.
A film like Mulan is bound to perform well no matter when it’s released, and although blockbusters usually like to secure dates years in advance, if Disney waits and simply picks a date nearer the time, other films will likely clear out and not try to compete with a potential juggernaut.
The New Mutants is a more intriguing case. This is yet another delay for a film that’s truly gone through development hell, and there’s a fair argument that simply releasing the film on Disney+ within the next few weeks is the best idea.
The most recent trailed garnered over 35 million views, so there’s definitely interest, and many moviegoers would surely prefer to pay a $5 Disney+ subscription and stay home than venture out to see the film at this point. That would help Disney+ subscribers, and add new content to the platform, which has been sorely lacking since The Mandalorian.
Interestingly, Disney still plans to release Marvel’s Black Widow on Friday, May 1 at this point, though obviously that can change. Fellow studio Paramount also pushed pack A Quiet Place: Part II and romcom The Lovebirds, while production on Marvel’s Shang-Chi has been halted due to the virus.
So 2020 is looking like not only a strange year altogether, but an especially strange one in cinema. A year that could make 2021 even stranger, as it might be incredibly stacked due to all the delayed releases. So, if you’re disappointed by your favourite movies getting delayed, look forward to next year. If we’re all still alive, that is.
#Peace.Love.Mulan
