The decision-makers at Disney have decided that audiences have waited long enough to see the live-action adaptation of “Mulan.” After months of delays to the film’s premiere due to the coronavirus pandemic, Disney has announced it will release the movie on the studio’s streaming service, Disney+, in September.
Subscribers to Disney+ will have the opportunity to watch “Mulan” right in their own homes starting Sept. 4, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
However, because the film is skipping a theatrical run, Disney+ subscribers will have to pay a “top-tier” price of $29.99 to watch the first-run feature.
This is the first time Disney has offered an on-demand service within its own streaming platform. The move comes as the company continues to face challenges due to the COVID-19 crisis. With many states still clamping down on larger social gatherings, movie theaters remain either closed or at significantly limited audience capacity.
This poses a dilemma for studios — especially ones with big-budget summertime releases meant to be seen by as many moviegoers as possible.
So, Disney execs thought outside the big screen and shifted “Mulan” to Disney+ for subscribers to stream.
“We’re very pleased to be able to bring ‘Mulan’ to our consumer base that has been waiting for it for a long, long time as we’ve had to, unfortunately, move our theatrical date several times,” said Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “We are looking at ‘Mulan’ as one-off as opposed to saying there is some new business windowing model that we are looking at.”
The live-action movie stars Crystal Liu as Mulan, a girl who disguises herself as a man to take the place of her ailing father in the Chinese army as it fights the invading Huns.
The 2020 film is an adaptation of the original 1998 animated Disney movie, and fans will notice some changes, including the absence of both Mushu the dragon and big musical numbers.
Will you pay extra to watch Disney’s “Mulan” on-demand?
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