Mulan is finally seeing the light in September, though not as Disney and the audience wanted, as the movie will go directly to Disney+ (for a premium price). While this was a somewhat expected move from Disney, this can represent a big problem for cinemas around the world as the studio is setting a big example. The coronavirus pandemic was a big shake-up to the entertainment industry, forcing TV and film productions to shut down temporarily and delaying most releases, of which many have ended up on VOD and/or streaming services.
Disney has already opted for moving some films to its own streaming platform, Disney+, instead of pushing their release dates to next year and risking overloading their schedule (and the audience getting tired of Disney content), such as Artemis Fowl and The One and Only Ivan. The studio still has more films waiting to be released at some point this year or in 2021, the biggest ones being Mulan, Black Widow, and New Mutants. Marvel’s plans for the last two haven’t changed much and they’re still expected to be properly released in cinemas, but Disney just made a big move with Mulan, moving it to Disney+ so it can finally be released this year – but to a price, as Disney+ subscribers will have to pay $30 to watch it.
The live-action trend continues at Disney, and while not all have been the success the studio expected, the audience is still interested in them, and Mulan being one of the most beloved animated films by Disney definitely helps boost interest in the live-action version. In a coronavirus-free world, Mulan would have been one of the biggest and strongest releases cinemas would have seen this year, one that would have been very generous in the box-office and thus to cinemas – but now theaters around the world will have to go on without Mulan, and if this move to Disney+ works well, this could prompt other studios to move some of their biggest titles to VOD or streaming too, and that would put cinemas at risk.
The coronavirus lockdowns have already impacted cinemas, with some of them unsure about whether they’ll be able to continue after the pandemic or not, as they have already lost a lot of money after being closed for months. Mulan could have helped many of them to get moving again, but that won’t be the case anymore. VOD and streaming services have benefitted from the lockdowns as they became the main source of entertainment for the audience, with studios seizing these platforms and wasting no time on releasing many films through them early on, and even though cinemas are now somewhat closer to reopening (with special, safety measures), they have lost some of their power and relevance. Disney is setting an example with one of its most important releases of the year being moved to Disney+, and this could be an example to follow for other studios.
If Mulan on Disney+ is a success and other studios move some of their biggest titles to VOD and/or streaming, it will be a lot harder for cinemas to get back to normal or even reopen. Mulan on Disney+ has its pros and cons, but ultimately, it will be a big experiment not only for Disney but the film industry in general, and one that can deeply affect cinemas if it all goes well for the Mouse House.