Hollywood
Disney pulls a Warner Bros, sets ‘Black Widow’ for simultaneous release
NEW DELHI: Taking a cue from rival Warner Bros, media & entertainment behemoth Disney has set its highly anticipated MCU outing Black Widow for a simultaneous release in cinema halls and on its premium streaming service, Disney+ Premier Access for an additional cost. After interminable delay due to the Covid2019 pandemic, Black Widow, which was initially supposed to come out last May, will now hit the big and small screen on 9 July.
With this announcement, Disney has also revealed its upcoming film Cruella will follow the same strategy, coming to theatres as well as Disney+ (via Premier Access) on 28 May. Also, Pixar’s animated movie Luca will now be skipping the silver screen and debut exclusively on Disney+ on 18 June.
The release dates of several other movies have also been pushed back – Ryan Reynolds-starrer Free Guy will now come to cinemas on 13 August, another MCU film Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is set for 3 September, while The King’s Man will drop on 22 December. The Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas thriller Deep Water will now come out on 14 January 2022 instead of its August release; Death on the Nile, the film adaptation of the Agatha Christie mystery featuring an ensemble case, is coming next 11 February, instead of this September.
While Marvel fans may be rejoicing at this piece of good news, the mouse house's decision to defer six of its big-ticket releases comes as a blow to cinemas, which have been struggling ever since the pandemic-induced lockdowns. Moreover, the simultaneous digital release of some of these movies will undoubtedly impact theatres in terms of ticket and concession sales, while boosting the already rising fortunes of Disney+.
Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution chairman Kareem Daniel said the move “reflects our focus on providing consumer choice and serving the evolving preferences of audiences.”
It may be recalled that last year, Disney's Mulan released exclusively on Disney+ and subscribers had to shell out an additional $30 access fee to watch it. After the fact, Walt Disney Co boss Bob Chapek had been cagey about the revenues Mulan netted, though he pronounced himself "pleased" with its performance.
The pandemic has forced Disney and other entertainment companies to shift gears and recalibrate their business strategies. In December 2020, to the dismay of many industry stakeholders, WarnerMedia dramatically boosted the profile of its HBO Max streaming service when it announced that 17 movies — the entire 2021 Warner Bros slate — would be available to subscribers at the same time as cinema audiences.
Hollywood
Iger’s final act: Disney boss wraps up epic saga with a new captain at the helm
After 15 turbulent years, two stints in the c-suite, and billions spent on blockbuster acquisitions, Bob Iger is stepping away from the Magic Kingdom.
CALIFORNIA: The 75-year-old chief, hailed as one of the most transformative leaders in modern media, officially hands over to former parks chief Josh D’Amaro on 18 March. And this time, he’s getting the succession right.
Iger’s legacy glitters with big bets and epic wins: the $7.4bn Pixar buy, $4bn Marvel swoop, and the colossal $71bn 21st Century Fox deal. He dragged Disney into the streaming age, fought off activist investor Nelson Peltz, and saw off a political scrap with Florida governor Ron DeSantis.
But it hasn’t all been pixie dust. The forced return of Iger in 2022—after the short, shaky reign of successor Bob Chapek—tarnished an otherwise stellar run.
Now, D’Amaro takes the wheel with a streamlined leadership team and Disney firing on all cylinders. The firm’s streaming business is in the black, theme-park attendance is soaring, and five global films have hit $1billion at the box office in the past two years. Not bad for a firm that was on the ropes just months ago.
D’Amaro’s first move? A slick reorg under new president and chief creative officer Dana Walden, folding film, tv, streaming and gaming into one punchy unit. Sean Shoptaw, heading up the gaming division, now reports directly to Walden—bringing Fortnite and Epic Games collaborations closer to Disney’s creative heart.
Iger isn’t sailing off into the sunset just yet. He’ll keep busy with Angel City FC, the women’s football club he owns with his wife. And as Ann Mooney Murphy of Stevens Institute predicts: “A guy like that never truly retires.”
One era ends. Another begins. And the House of Mouse bets big on a future beyond the king.
