New Marvel Studios Talent Contracts Will Factor In Films Moved To Disney+

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.

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.