Disney CEO Bob Chapek confirms Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings movie will release only in theaters on September 3. The second movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 4 is set to introduce Simu Liu as the titular hero, Shang-Chi. As has been confirmed by the film's title and teased in the Shang-Chi movie trailers, the Ten Rings are also set to be explored after they were first referenced in Iron Man all the way back in 2008. Shang-Chi will also properly introduce the Marvel Comics villain The Mandarin, after the character name was used in Iron Man 3 - only for it to be revealed he was merely a figurehead for Aldrich Killian's plans. All that's to say, there's plenty to look forward to in Shang-Chi.

With Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings scheduled to hit theaters on Sept. 3, the movie is gearing up for release. However, there's been speculation about whether Shang-Chi will head to Disney+ Premier Access for a hybrid theatrical and streaming release. Over the last year, Disney has released some of its films straight to Disney+, either for free or with the added cost of Premier Access, or opted to release films on Disney+ Premier Access the same day as in theaters - as was the case with Marvel Studios' Black Widow in July. As COVID cases surge in the U.S. as a result of the Delta variant, many are looking to see how Disney will handle their fall releases, particularly Shang-Chi.

Related: Shang-Chi Shows How Powerful He Can Be As An Avenger

Today, Disney confirmed Shang-Chi will release only in movie theaters on Sept. 3. Chapek explained that it's essentially too late to shift Shang-Chi's release to a combination of theatrical and Disney+ Premier Access. He said, "We think it's actually going to be an interesting experiment for us, because it only has a 45-day window for us." He went on to say, "because of the practically of last minute changes it wouldn't be possible," to move Shang-Chi to a hybrid streaming and theatrical release.

As Chapek noted, Shang-Chi will now mark the first time Disney is releasing a Marvel Studios movie with the 45-day window, in which it's a theater exclusive, before the studio is able to release the film on streaming and on-demand. Prior to the pandemic, the theatrical window had shrunk to about 90 days, but due to movie theaters closing around the globe during the spring and summer of 2020, studios renegotiated the theatrical window down to 45 days. Since Black Widow had a hybrid streaming and theatrical release, Shang-Chi will be the first MCU movie released with this shortened theatrical window. That means Disney could release Shang-Chi on streaming, on-demand and DVD/Blu-ray as soon as October 18.

As a result, Shang-Chi becomes a test case for Disney to see how its Marvel properties fare with this kind of release strategy. The downside to this is that moviegoers who don't feel comfortable going to theaters at the time of Shang-Chi's release will have to wait longer to see the latest MCU film. And with many folks concerned by the Delta variant as well as the surging number of COVID cases, it's unclear how the theatrical exclusivity of Shang-Chi will impact its box office returns. Since Shang-Chi is Marvel's first Asian-led superhero film, it had the opportunity to be a major cultural event akin to Black Panther. But with Disney opting to keep it a theater exclusive, it remains to be seen how that affects its performance and narrative within pop culture. Ultimately, everyone will get a chance to see Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings eventually - whether in theaters or once it hits streaming.

Next: When Is Shang-Chi Set In The MCU Timeline?

Source: Disney

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Molly Freeman (2540 Articles Published)

Molly Freeman is the lead news editor of Screen Rant and one of Screen Rant’s Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved movie critics. She’s been writing for Screen Rant since 2014 and has appeared on the Total Geekall podcast. Previously, she’s written entertainment news for Bustle and had personal essays published on HelloGiggles and Femsplain.

A graduate of Ithaca College’s Journalism program, Molly originally planned to be a music journalist before moving into entertainment journalism after spending so much of her downtime binge-watching all manner of movies and TV during her formative years. Still, she enjoys every chance to put her music and musical theater knowledge to good use, particularly when it intersects with her love of superhero movies.

Beyond that, Molly spends her free time reading young adult and romance novels, rooting for the New York Rangers hockey team (LGR!) and going out to brunch. Follow Molly on Twitter and Instagram @mollyrockit, or contact her directly: molly(at)screenrant(dot)com.

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