When Warner Bros. dropped their plan to release all of their films in 2021 on HBO Max and theaters, it caused a ton of headaches. Their competitors weren’t happy, nor were theater owners, but most especially the problems were internal, with actors and directors working for the studio upset they weren’t given some warning. Disney has also put their attentions on streaming as far as the future is concerned, but they are looking to plan ahead, at least where Marvel Studios is concerned.
According to The Wrap, new contracts for Marvel Studios talent are being drawn up to account for movies that may be released in theaters and on streaming. This could be due to a shortened theatrical window or same-day. This is not being seen as Disney preparing to make a move similar to WarnerMedia, but as a way of staying ahead of the game just in case.
It makes sense that Disney would want to do this now. While a vaccine is out there with others on the horizon, 2021 is still going to be an uncertain year for the movie business. The Marvel films routinely gross anywhere between $800M-$1B, and there are incentives and kickbacks attached which will be impacted by smaller box office, or don’t take into account streaming numbers at all.
Don’t be surprised if other studios begin making similar moves as streaming factors more heavily into the bottom line.
Next up for Marvel is Black Widow on May 7th 2021. For now it’s expected to be in theaters exclusively, but that could very easily change.
