Disney Pushes The Release Date Of Black Widow To Next Year

Scarlett Johansson-starrer Black Widow, slated to release on November 6, 2020, will now hit theatres on May 7, 2021. The announcement of the delay comes close on the heels of less-than-stellar box-office performances of recent Hollywood movies amidst the Coronavirus pandemic.

What You Should Know: 

• Scarlett Johansson-starrer Black Widow, slated to release on November 6, 2020, will now hit theatres on May 7, 2021.
• Disney decided to delay the movie after considering the negative impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on recent Hollywood releases. 
• Apart from Black Widow, Disney has also delayed other Marvel movies like Eternals and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. 

Also Read: From Captain Marvel to Black Widow, Marvel Backs Superheroines

Coronavirus Causes Delay

Part of Phase Four of the hugely popular Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Widow has faced its second delay in a row. Walt Disney Co., the studio backing the movie, originally scheduled the movie for a summer release this year.  However, they moved it to November 6 after the pandemic led to lockdowns in almost all countries earlier this year.

Reports suggest that Disney decided after considering the negative impact of closed theatres on the box-office numbers of recent major Hollywood releases. Currently, theatres in Los Angeles and New York, the two most lucrative areas – are shut. Furthermore, even the ones welcoming cinema-goers are operating at reduced capacity.

Also Read: Japan’s ‘Black Widow’ Who Killed Lovers Awarded Death

Other Delayed Productions

Essentially, Coronavirus has moved MCU’s entire Phase Four back by a year. Marvel’s Eternal has been delayed by nine months - from February 12, 2021, to November 5, 2021. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, another Marvel offering, will now release on July 9, 2021, instead of May 7, 2021.

A few weeks back, Warner Bros. also pushed back the release of Wonder Woman 1984 after the near-debacle of one of its major productions – Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. Disney also pushed the release of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story - a reinterpretation of the iconic musical of the same name – by a full year. It will now release in December 2021.

Kumail Nanjiani, who stars in Eternals, hailed Disney’s decision. He tweeted: “Marvel made the right responsible decision. There's a pandemic. Nothing is more important than health lives. I can't tell to go to a movie theatre until I feel safe going to one. Take care of yourselves. I promise it'll be worth the wait!”

Eternals delayed to Nov 5, 2021. Marvel made the right & responsible decision. There’s a pandemic. Nothing is more important than health & lives. I can’t tell ppl to go to a movie theater until I feel safe going to one.

Take care of yourselves. I promise it’ll be worth the wait!

— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) September 23, 2020

Notably, Black Widow is based on the sole female superhero in the Avengers’ old guard. The upcoming Black Widow movie will focus on Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow's past as she sacrificed her life in Avengers: Endgame (2019). Set post the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016), the film will chronicle Black Widow’s life as she tries to escape the law after aiding Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes.

Also Read: Scarlett Johansson Gets $15 Million For ‘Black Widow’ Movie

Tarini Gandhiok is an intern with SheThePeople.TV