It’s official:Black Widowhas been delayed. As increasingly extreme measures have been taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus, movie theaters have been forced to close and some of the year’s biggest releases have been pushed back. Now, the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is joining that growing list, as Disney has decided to push back the movie’s released indefinitely.
According to several reports,Black Widowhas been pushed back from its planned release on May 1. This was set to be the first MCU entry to hit theaters after last year’sAvengers: EndgmaeandSpider-Man: Far From Home.Disneyhas also delayed the release ofThe Personal History of David CopperfieldandThe Woman in the Window, which stars Amy Adams and has already been pushed back several times. None of the titles, as of this writing, were provided with new release dates.
This comes just afterAMC Theatres closed, along with Regal Cinemas and the Alamo Drafthouse announcing the shut down theaters across the U.S. temporarily. The White House recommended that people avoid groups of more than 10, which effectively forced the movie business’s hand in the matter. Other major upcoming releases such asMulan,The New MutantsandAntlershad already been pushed back by Disney, withA Quiet Place: Part II,Peter Rabbit 2,F9andNo Time to Diebeing delayed by other studios.
Black Widowwas easily one of themost highly-anticipated movies of 2020, as it was finally going to give Scarlett Johansson a long-overdue solo movie. Johansson has been a part of the MCU since 2010’sIron Man 2, but has never headlined a solo feature. Florence Pugh, David Harbour and Rachel Weisz also star. The movie was directed by Cate Shortland, making her the first female director to helm an MCU entry on her own. Previously, Anna Boden co-directedCaptain Marvelwith Ryan Fleck.
One big question is,will Black Widow be delayedmonths on end until the movie business recovers globally enough to justify a new release date? Or, will the movie find its way online instead? Recently, Universal Pictures made waves by announcing that current theatrical releases, such asThe Hunt,The Invisible ManandEmma, as well as some future releases, such asTrolls: World Tour, will be available to rent for $19.99 for 48 hours from digital retailers. Disney could opt to do the same for certain titles as the situation progresses.
The difference with this title, as opposed to others that have been delayed, is that Marvel Studios has a schedule to keep. All of the movies, and now shows set to arrive on Disney+, are part of a shared universe. That often makes the release order particularly important. Given thatBlack Widowis a prequel, taking place after the events ofCaptain America: Civil Warand beforeInfinity War, it may not be as crucial when it comes out compared to other MCU entries, but who knows what secrets the story holds? We’ll be sure to keep you posted as further details are made available. This news comes to us viaThe Hollywood Reporter.
