Disney announced Friday that all of its films slated for release by the end of the year will be screened in theaters first, raising doubts for many theaters anxious to reconnect with their audiences. The animated film "Encanto" will be released on the big screen on November 24, and will not appear on the Disney + video on demand platform before December 24. Other planned posters, such as "The Last Duel" by Ridley Scott, "Eternals" by Marvel Studios or even "West Side Story" by Steven Spielberg, will be reserved in theaters for at least 45 consecutive days.
This decision was eagerly awaited because the entertainment empire recently chose to release at the same time on Disney + a series of big productions like "Black Widow", "Jungle Cruise" and "Cruella", thus diverting part of the receipts of the traditional cinemas. . Actress Scarlett Johansson, star of "Black Widow", has also sued Disney, accusing him of breach of contract having cost him millions of dollars.
Two years ago, Disney produced content for theaters and television channels. From now on, the Californian group has direct access to its audience via streaming and the rooms depend on its goodwill. A phenomenon accelerated by the pandemic. In mid-August, the boss Bob Chapek recalled his strategy of favoring "flexibility", to be able "to follow the consumer wherever he goes". And "when the theaters reopened, there was immense reluctance from the public to return," he insisted during the presentation of the company's financial results.
Warner Bros. studios have also been heavily criticized for their decision to release all new 2021 movies on their HBO Max platform, even though they subsequently committed to a 45-day theatrical exclusivity window for the movie. next year.