Is Marvel's Shang-Chi Going To Disney+?

It's still possible Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings will wind up on the Disney+ streaming service - but not if Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has anything to do with it. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated a change in popular culture, with movies releasing simultaneously in theaters and on streaming services. The jury's still out as to whether or not this approach should be considered a financial success, but at present it may well be the only reliable way for studios to continue putting out content.

Disney has been taking advantage of the Disney+ streaming service, establishing a hybrid model where subscribers can purchase the film for an additional fee while others go to the cinema. Marvel's Black Widow was probably the most high-profile blockbuster to get the hybrid treatment to date, with Disney announcing the so-called "Premier Access" netted Black Widow over $60 million in its opening weekend. It's possible Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings, scheduled for release on September 3, will also have a hybrid release; certainly that's indicated by the trailers, which have conspicuously avoided using the phrase "only in cinemas."

But this shouldn't be taken as read. Disney only settled on a hybrid release for Black Widow fairly late in the day, after months of speculation, and they are believed to have been held up by the opposition of Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. There have been consistent reports Feige was angered by Black Widow's Disney+ release, likely in large part because of his emotional attachment to the big screen. In interviews, Feige has even explained his love of cinema inspired Marvel's post-credits scenes; "I didn’t want the experience…no matter how good or bad the movie was, just the experience of being in the movie theater, I didn’t want to end," he recalled. It's reasonable to assume Feige would consider a small screen to be a poor substitute for watching the movie in a theater.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Matters have been further complicated by Scarlett Johansson's lawsuit over Black Widow's hybrid release. If Disney do opt for a hybrid release for Shang-Chi, then there will be intense pressure to renegotiate contracts - not least because Feige himself is reportedly frustrated over how his stars were treated with Black Widow. Doing so could have significant repercussions for Disney, though, because Johansson's lawyers could argue such renegotiations amounted to a tacit admission Disney knew their old contracts weren't suitable for this changed distribution pattern.

Meanwhile, it's worth noting that - official statements to the contrary - Disney probably still isn't sure whether the hybrid distribution model is paying off. Black Widow's box office dropped by a shocking 69 percent in its second weekend, with both streaming and pirating believed to have eaten into its takings. Making matters worse, the pandemic is far from over, and it's difficult to predict how films will be performing in September - in both domestic and overseas markets. According to Inside the Magic, Disney execs are still considering a simultaneous theatrical and streaming release for Shang-Chi, but they're facing fierce opposition from Feige. It's likely a final decision on Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings is still a couple of weeks away.

More: Every Upcoming Marvel Movie Release Date (2021 To 2023)