In its biggest shift to streaming yet, Disney is releasing a film from Marvel on Disney+ at the same time it is released in cinemas.
‘Black Widow,’ the latest film from Disney’s superhero studio, will debut simultaneously in cinemas and on the company’s streaming service on July 9.
The film will be released via the company’s Premier Access function, which means Disney+ subscribers will have to pay an extra fee of $29.99 to watch it.
The highly anticipated superhero film starring Scarlett Johansson was originally slated for release on May 1, 2020, but was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic disrupting the theater industry.
WarnerMedia, CNN’s parent company, previously announced that it would simultaneously release all Warner Bros. movies on HBO Max this year without charging an additional fee to subscribers.
But Marvel is the biggest blockbuster studio in Hollywood, and Disney is experimenting with an alternate distribution strategy during the pandemic.
In addition to ‘Black Widow,’ Disney will launch the Emma Stone-starring “Cruella” in theaters and on Disney+ via Premier Access on Friday, May 28.
Disney and Pixar’s ‘Luca,’ meanwhile, will stream directly in homes on Disney+ beginning Friday, June 18, similar to how ‘Soul’ was released without any additional charge.