Everyone wants to know when "Shang Chi" will be available on Disney Plus? Yes, like a guest of honor at a ball (look at that box office!) ), the hit movie "Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" will stop being a theatrical exclusive and become available for online streaming.
The only problem is that the biggest clue, Disney CEO Bob Chapek's own words, does not give us enough information to know when the film will be available for online streaming. Neither Chapek nor any other Disney official has said anything about when the film will be available on Disney Plus. It would be odd, however, to see the film outside of Disney's streaming service.
So what did Chapek say?
During Disney's earnings call on August 12, Chapek confirmed that "The Legend of the Fragrant Princess and the Ten Rings" will not follow "Black Widow" into streaming.
Instead of being released in theaters and distributed on the same day through Disney Plus Premier Access ($30 more for membership), it will be distributed exclusively in theaters.
And Chapek noted that "Shang-Chi" will be available exclusively in theaters for 45 days. Most media outlets assume that Disney will bring the film to Disney Plus at the end of this window (which is half the length of the normal 90-day theatrical exclusive window). Chapek, however, has said no such thing. Not a huge leap, but not a definite one.
In other words, "Shang - CHI" could be on Disney Plus as early as Monday, October 18.
But that is a Monday, not Disney's typical movie streaming release date. In other words, Friday, October 22 is another possibility.
Another thing to note here is that it may still cost money to see Shang-Chi on Disney Plus. If Shang-Chi is available on Disney Plus on either of these dates, we do not know whether Disney will offer it free to monthly members or charge $30 for it, as they usually do for theatrical releases. It all seems to depend on whether "Shang-Chi" is, in Chapek's words, a successful "experiment" at the box office.
Yes, about the part of Bob Chapek's comment that the release of "Shang-Chi" was an "interesting experiment."
Sim Liu, the star of Shang-Chi, was not pleased to be told this, saying, "We are not an experiment. We are the underdog, we are underestimated. We are ceiling breakers. We are a celebration of culture and joy that holds up even after the embitterment. We are the surprises. We are fired up to make history.
Comments