Disney to launch rest of 2021 films exclusively in theaters

LOS ANGELES – Walt Disney Co. announced on Friday it will release “Eternals,” “West Side Story” and the rest of its 2021 films exclusively in theaters before streaming them, a sign of confidence the cinema will bounce back .

The company had experimented during the pandemic by releasing some films on the Disney + streaming service at the same time as they were shown in theaters. Theater operators have been keeping a close eye on how Disney, which has dominated film box offices in recent years, would handle its next roster, as the delta variant slowed audiences’ return to multiplexes.

Disney said in a statement that the animated musical “Encanto” will play in theaters for 30 days starting November 24 and head to Disney + just before Christmas. The film tells the story of a family who lives in a magical house in the mountains of Colombia. It includes music written by the creator of “Hamilton”, Lin-Manuel Miranda.

All other Disney releases, including the Marvel movie “Eternals” in November and Steven Spielberg’s cover of “West Side Story” in December, will air exclusively in theaters for at least 45 days, the company said.

Disney’s most recent film, Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” just set a Labor Day weekend record with $ 94.7 million in ticket sales in the United States. American and Canadian cinemas. The film, starring a predominantly Asian cast including Simu Liu and Awkwafina, has only been shown in theaters.

But cinema for the year remains well below pre-pandemic levels. Movie chains, including AMC Entertainment, Cineworld and Cinemark, rely on major fall and winter titles to attract customers.

Other Disney films in 2021 are the historical drama “The Last Duel” and the animated comedy “Ron’s Gone Wrong” in October, and the spy action film “The King’s Man” in December.

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