Disney pushes back several major film releases as cinema industry reels from coronavirus
Disney has pushed back several major film releases as the cinema industry reels from the coronavirus.
The entertainment giant said the planned release in March of Mulan – based on a female warrior from Chinese folklore – had been postponed indefinitely. A new Avatar film will be delayed until 2022 and the next Star Wars movie until 2023.
It has been forced to act because relatively few cinemas are open.
On hold: Disney said the planned release in March of Mulan, (pictured) – based on a female warrior from Chinese folklore – had been postponed indefinitely
The pandemic has hammered the industry though some countries such as the UK have allowed cinemas to reopen but with strict social distancing, restricting capacity and takings.
The postponement of Mulan is a particularly bitter blow for chains banking on the live-action remake of Disney’s classic animation film to give them a desperately-needed boost.
Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to the film starring Tom Cruise, has been delayed to next July, from December. And Warner Bros has called off the August release of thriller Tenet.
Disney said: ‘It’s clear nothing can be set in stone when it comes to how we release films during this crisis.’