Disney+ is getting two blockbusters films on the same day as theaters: Black Widow and Cruella.
The studio originally planned on releasing Black Widow in movie theaters in May. But on Tuesday, it decided to push back the release date to July 9, and bring the Marvel film to the company’s popular streaming service.
Cruella, which debuts on May 28, is also coming to Disney+. However, both films won’t initially be free to subscribers. Instead, the company is charging an extra $29.99 to view each film via Disney+ Premier Access. Paying the fee means you can enjoy the movies on the initial release date, and watch them as many times as you want. But you'll have to be an active subscriber to Disney+, which costs $7.99 per month.
Disney decided to bring both films to its streaming service, even though the US is starting to recover from the pandemic. Apparently, the company’s strategy to bring certain films to Disney+ has been paying off. The last company film to hit the service was Raya and the Last Dragon, and according to Disney, it was a successful release, despite the $29.99 Premier Access fee.
“Today’s announcement reflects our focus on providing consumer choice and serving the evolving preferences of audiences,” said Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, in the announcement.
The news will no doubt tick off movie theater chains, such as AMC Theatres, which have been banking on people returning to the cinema in droves later this year. However, Disney has a serious money maker on its hands with Disney+, which now has over 100 million subscribers. So we won't be surprised if more films debut on the streaming service.
To help kick off the summer movie season, Disney is also bringing the upcoming Pixar film Luca to Disney+ on June 18, but it'll be free to all subscribers. As for Black Widow and Cruella, both films are expected to become a free offering on Disney+, but probably not until three months after their initial release date.