In a move that is at once shocking and could have significant ramifications for years to come, Disney announced today that it will be releasing its live-action epic Mulan simultaneously in select theaters and on Disney+ on September 4th. The film will not be automatically available on Disney+ at that time, and will instead be offered as part of Disney+’s new “Premium Tier” that will cost an extra $29.99 as a one-time fee, on top of whatever you pay for your subscription. The PVOD release on Disney+ will only take part in the United States and Canada. In international territories, it will be released theatrically.

This is a monumental shift in strategy from Disney, which as one of the most commercially successful studios around has been vital to the health and continued existence of movie theaters. Consistently, Disney produces films that become the top box office earners of the year. So for the Mouse House to now offer Mulan in-home at the same time it’s in theaters is a very big deal, and could set a precedent that proves dangerous and possibly fatal to some theatrical chains should it become a trend. Although it’s worth noting that Disney CEO Bob Chapek cautioned that this PVOD release of Mulan is an “anomaly” and not a signal for future theater bypassing, reiterating that it’s a “one-off.” At least until they see how much money they make off this PVOD release (and how many new Disney+ subscribers they obtain)…

The move comes as the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted studios the world over, and as Disney struggles financially even after re-opening some of its theme parks with limited attendance. Most movie theater chains across the U.S. are still closed with no end in sight. Warner Bros. still intends to open Tenet on September 4th in U.S. theaters that are open at that time, but will be releasing the film internationally the week before — where COVID-19 cases are lower.

Mulan was originally scheduled to hit theaters on March 27th and had undergone its first press screenings right as the pandemic hit, after which it was delayed to July and now ultimately pulled completely from the domestic theatrical release calendar.

More to come…

via Collider