Disney To Release Remainder Of 2021 Films Exclusively In Theaters

The Walt Disney Company announced Friday that the remainder of films scheduled for release in 2021 will be released exclusively in theaters. 

Disney had been releasing its films in theaters and on its Disney+ platform simultaneously. Movies were made available to stream either for free or for a $30 fee. The announcement comes on the heels of the company’s release of Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which brought in $132.3 million, the second-highest domestic debut since the start of the pandemic. 

Disney’s animated film Encanto will play in theaters for 30 days before making its way onto Disney+. Marvel’s Eternals, West Side Story, The Last Duel, Ron’s Gone Wrong, and King’s Men will spend 45 days in cinemas before being added to the streaming platform. 

The company is currently locked in a lawsuit with Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson over the film’s dual release, which she argued violates her contract. She claims that her salary was significantly impacted due to its reliance on the movie’s box office performance.