Scarlett Johansson speaks at the Marvel Studios Panel during 2019 Comic-Con International in San ... [+] Diego on July 20, 2019. Key BackgroundDisney’s subsidiary Marvel initially planned on releasing Black Widow in May 2020, but the superhero film’s premiere was repeatedly delayed due to Covid-19. Chief CriticThe National Association of Theater Owners chided Disney for releasing Black Widow on streaming services, claiming the decision may have harmed the movie’s overall revenue in addition to hurting movie theaters’ bottom line. Disney offered Black Widow and the movie Cruella to Disney+ users and movie theaters on the same day, and it released the Pixar film Luca exclusively on Disney+ instead of showing it in theaters. Crucial Quote“It’s no secret that Disney is releasing films like Black Widow directly onto Disney+ to increase subscribers and thereby boost the company’s stock price,” Johansson’s attorney John Berlinski wrote in a statement Thursday afternoon.

Source: Forbes July 29, 2021 18:56 UTC