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The rest of Disney’s film releases in 2021 will debut exclusively in theaters, the entertainment giant said.
Movies including Marvel’s Eternals, Sir Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake will all hit theaters for a 45-day window before they are available on digital platforms.
The move gives a boost to the beleaguered movie industry, which has struggled to draw fans inside amid fears over the more transmissible Delta variant of Covid-19.
And it follows the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – the first Marvel movie to hit theaters exclusively in over two years.
The superhero film has so far grossed over $ 166 million (£ 120 million) worldwide, one of the best box office performances of the pandemic era.
In August, Disney CEO Bob Chapek described Shang-Chi’s 45-day movie-exclusive release as “an interesting experience for us” – a comment criticized by Simu Liu, the film’s lead man.
The success of the film appears to have influenced the studio’s theatrical strategy for the remainder of the year.
While Eternals, The Last Duel, and West Side Story will all have a 45-day window, the animated musical Encanto will hit theaters for 30 days when it releases in November, before arriving on the Disney + streaming service.
Disney had experimented with concurrent theatrical and streaming releases for some of its biggest films during the pandemic, including Marvel’s Black Widow and Cruella Origins Story.
Black Widow’s strategy prompted star Scarlett Johansson to take legal action, which alleged the move cost her income due to declining box office revenue.
Disney has issued a fiery response and the lawsuit is still ongoing.
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