alt=Herb ScribnerDisney has decided to delay “Mulan” again amid the coronavirus pandemic, continuing an ongoing pattern of movie studios waiting to release films.
What’s happening:
- Disney announced on Friday, June 26, that “Mulan” would no longer be released on July 24 as originally planned.
- Instead, Disney will release the film Aug. 21.
What’s being said:
Alan Horn, Walt Disney Studios co-chairman and chief creative officer, and Alan Bergman, Walt Disney Studios co-chairman, told The Hollywood Reporter that the company remains flexible on the release date:
“While the pandemic has changed our release plans for <em>Mulan</em> and we will continue to be flexible as conditions require, it has not changed our belief in the power of this film and its message of hope and perseverance. Director Niki Caro and our cast and crew have created a beautiful, epic, and moving film that is everything the cinematic experience should be, and that’s where we believe it belongs – on the world stage and the big screen for audiences around the globe to enjoy together,”
Why delay again?
- The decision came days after Warner Bros. announced “Tenet” would be delayed for a second time, moving from July 31 to Aug 12.
- The decision was made as COVID-19 spikes continue throughout the country.
- According to The Verge, there’s some reasoning behind Disney’s decision:
“Disney doesn’t want to be the first studio to release a major film in the middle of a pandemic when the company is unsure of about how many people will show up. The delay is added confirmation that Disney and Warner Bros. are engaged in a game of release chicken. Neither studio wants to go first, testing out their potential billion-dollar movies in a market where the films could lose money if audiences don’t turn up or restrictions mean that audiences can’t watch said movies.”