Disney CEO Bob Chapek says the standard for launching Black Widow it will be a “last minute” decision, a sentiment that will not reassure cinema owners or others who are hoping for a recovery from Covid-19.
The executive made comments to Bloomberg Television while in front of Disneyland, which has just set its reopening of limited capacity for April 30.
Marvel’s Black Widow it has been postponed several times due to the pandemic and is now scheduled for May 7. Disney has not yet indicated its plans for how to launch it. Speculation has grown that the film could be a Premier Access title on Disney +, which could limit its theatrical reach. The large chain of Cinemark cinemas, for example, did not play at the Disney theater Raya and the Last Dragon this month because it was available for Premier Access for $ 30 to Disney + subscribers while hitting theaters.
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Asked if Black Widow would keep the release date, Chapek did not respond directly, instead emphasizing the need to embrace “flexibility” in every way.
“Our situation and conditions change,” he said. “Just a few weeks ago, cinemas in New York and Los Angeles weren’t even open. Now, all of a sudden, they’re open, so we’re waiting to see how potential viewers respond to these reopenings. We will remain flexible. We’ll make the call probably at the last minute in terms of how these films reach the market, be it Black Widow or any other title. “
Chapek has talked many times about the importance of movie theaters for Disney business in general, but the company’s alpha and omega lately is Disney +. The streaming service has just surpassed 100 million global subscribers and debuted several theatrical features, including Pixar’s Soul and last year’s live-action remake of Mulan.
“We love the theatrical showcase,” said Chapek. “We think it is important to build our franchises. At the same time, we don’t think that is the only way to do this. … We will see what will happen in the coming months. So much is changing, it is a very dynamic environment. It is really difficult to predict what will happen to consumer behavior in the next month, when it comes to resurging back into the normal world. We will be watching the call carefully and make the call when necessary. “
The global picture has darkened due to the increase in infections by Covid and the struggles for vaccines in some territories. This forced further delays for some major films like Sony’s Venom 2, which fell again and Universal’s Minions: the rise of Gru, which left 2021 for the assumed viability of 2022.
As for parks and news of Disneyland reopening on April 30 with limited capacity, Chapek said the client’s initial response was positive. “I think guests know that Disney will do the right things,” he said.
Disneyland’s long-term closure, the first in more than six decades since it opened, has allowed Disney to implement certain improvements, Chapek said. “When we resurface, we will do it in a way that will improve the experience,” he said.
In places like Disney World in Florida or parks in Asia, which have been open for months, he said surveys indicate that “guests are even more satisfied than they were before the pandemic.”
Chapek acknowledged that Disneyland Paris could end up being the last Disney park to reopen as continental Europe faces a resurgence of Covid infections and the launch of vaccines. Asked about the prospects of reopening the Paris park this summer, the CEO said: “We hope so”.