With Mulan skipping its theatrical release and heading to Disney+, Marvel fans want Black Widow to do the same, although there are some mixed feelings.
2020 had a pretty solid lineup of blockbuster films planned for the spring and summer, but the COVID-19 health crisis quickly derailed any chance of those movies to playing on the big screen in the near future. That’s why Disney announced yesterday that its live-action Mulan remake would be heading to its streaming platform Disney+ instead (with a $29.99 fee, because, of course).
And although moviegoers seem to have mixed feelings about Disney’s new VOD release strategy, Marvel fans appear to agree on one thing: They’d be happy to pay the price if the studio offered the same VOD option for Black Widow, although many are bummed to know that would mean the movie wouldn’t get the big screen treatment it deserves.
It’s time Marvel, do the right thing. Black Widow needs to debut on Disney+
— EJ Stewart (@EJ_Stewart) August 4, 2020
okay if Black Widow come to Disney+ i’ll definitely pay that 30 then buy idk about Mulan though 😅
— StarDeezy. 👾 (@ladario23) August 4, 2020
As of right now, Marvel Studios’ most recent theatrical release was Spider-Man: Far From Home last summer. With more than a year without new content, fans are itching for something fresh from the studio — and with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and the other Marvel TV series delayed, Black Widow feels like the natural solution to this problem.
The film, which will show us what Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) was up to after the events of Captain America: Civil War but before Avengers: Infinity War, was originally slated to hit theaters back in May. The health crisis saw it delayed to November, but with many calling for a VOD release, it seems moviegoers may not be that confident that theaters will be safe in a few months.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek already said that Mulan’s VOD release “isn’t reflective of a new business model for the company,” so it doesn’t seem likely Black Widow will follow in its footsteps just yet. But depending on how the health crisis continues to evolve over the next few months — and how well Mulan does on the streaming platform — perhaps the studio will change its mind. Marvel lovers are eager to experience Phase 4, and some sort of VOD release model will enable them to do so — especially those who won’t be running to theaters even when they do reopen.
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