Originally scheduled for a May 1st, 2020 debut but then bumped to the fall with tentative plans, Marvel Studios has now read the writing on the wall that people are not going back to the theater in the US right now. And that means they’re readjusting their schedules while getting productions back in gear for upcoming films that now have the added COVID protections layer on it. And while some may think this is just a US problem because of LA and NY theaters being closed, we’re seeing spikes in the UK that could prompt closures as well as other European markets. Additionally, the majority of Latin American theatrical markets are still closed.
First, Black Widow is being moved to a May 7th, 2021 debut which makes it a full year delay. Theatrical exhibitors are glad about this, quite honestly, because the fear was that it would go to Disney+ as a Premier Access piece for $30 and Disney could have seen a lot of cash influx because of that.
With that shift in mind, Eternals moves from February 12th, 2021 to November 5th, 2021 and that in turn moves Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings from its May 7th, 2021 release to July 9th, 2021.
And keep in mind, all of this comes with several series launching throughout 2021 on Disney+ as well.
The film is set to star Scarlet Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, O-T Fagbenle, Ray Winstone, and Rachel Weisz.
We learned previously that Cate Shortland has signed on for the project after working on the Nazi drama film Lore previously. The Australian director doesn’t have a huge slate of films in her list but it factors into how Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige have worked previously when exploring projects like this, often to great success.
Plot Concept: Following the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016), Natasha Romanoff is on the run from the government following her disobedience to the Sokovia Accords and for aiding Steve Rogers finds herself on her own and is forced to deal with “some of the red in her ledger”.
Previous trailers:
