Rumor: Is Black Widow At Risk To Debut On Disney Plus In May?

Marvel's Black Widow was due to release back on May 1, 2020. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, the movie's release had to be postponed indefinitely. What makes things worse for Kevin Feige and Marvel is that streaming movies at the same time as theater releases have become the fashionable way for a film to debut during the pandemic. Moviegoers have been cautious to avoid movie theaters trying to protect themselves from Covid-19. However, rumors are now circulating that Marvel's Black Widow will debut on Disney Plus in May 2021.

According to Variety, Disney is not keen on the idea of releasing movies simultaneously with their theatrical release as Warner Brothers have committed to doing on HBO Max. Disney's reluctance to follow the Warner Brothers model is understandable. There is no guarantee that Black Widow will be able to earn the projected 800 million to 1 billion type box office returns expected if released on Disney Plus.

Disney will be losing money from not drawing people away from their homes to pay inflated ticket prices. Plus, piracy is still a massive problem for the industry. Pirates see streaming movies as easy pickings and quickly distribute the film via torrent services to those who have no Disney Plus subscription. For example, Mulan has been illegally downloaded millions of times since its release on Disney Plus back in September.

Marvel also has another problem on its hands. Black Widow is a significant release for the continuity of the Marvel franchises. To keep the Marvel Universe timeline moving efficiently, they want this movie to release on time (again.) With Marvel having announced Phase Four of the Marvel Universe, which includes The Fantastic Four, Black Widow receiving another delay will most assuredly push back some of these critical projects from the highly anticipated Phase Four offerings.

What are the pros and cons of Disney releasing Black Widow on Disney Plus?

Pro – Gets a highly delayed movie out to the public to the patiently waiting fans.

Pro – Guarantees that delays for Phase Four will be minimal.

Con – Disney will lose a ton of money.

Black Widow cost $200 million to produce. Streaming to Disney Plus will not bring in the kind of returns Disney needs for profitability. So the only con is a considerable loss of money on a vital Marvel project. That statement alone is the one thing that will probably keep a Black Widow Disney Plus release well over into the rumor side of the conversation.

Variety also reports that Disney is leaning toward delaying Black Widow a second time if the Coronavirus does not allow movie theaters to bring in their expected crowds. With the economy faltering and Disney losing money daily from park closures and Covid restrictions, losing big money from a blockbuster film is not high on the company's list.

Kevin Feige has stated numerous times that the only goal for Black Widow is that it be released theatrically. Calling a streaming release of Black Widow a "last-ditch effort," Feige is well aware of this movie's importance in the success of future Marvel projects.

Most fans hope to watch Black Widow as soon as possible. Either theatrical or stream forms will be welcome at this point. Marvel and Feige have done a masterful storytelling job across different avenues, streaming, TV, and theatrical. Their hard work has paid off and has created a rabid fanbase. Fans are addicted to the well-told, carefully planned, and connected storylines. Fans are, without a doubt, anxious to watch every new installment of the Marvel franchises.

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