‘Black Widow’ Opening Delayed to May 2021, Forcing ‘Shang-Chi’ and ‘Eternals’ to Move Back
Disney is modifying its theatrical release schedule once again in the face of the coronavirus pandemic by delaying Marvel Studios’ “Black Widow” to May 7, 2021. The shift means that other Marvel movies such as “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and “Eternals” will be moved off their February and May 2021 release dates and pushed back further into the 2021 calendar year. “Shang-Chi” will launch July 9, 2021 and “Eternals” will now debut November 5, 2021. Additionally, “Death on the Nile” is moving from October to December 18, 2020 and Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” is delaying a whole year from this December to Dec. 10, 2021.
“Black Widow,” the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe entry that marks Scarlett Johansson’s final outing as the eponymous hero, was originally scheduled to open in theaters May 1, 2020. Disney shifted the release to November amid the pandemic, and now the “Black Widow” release date has changed for a second time. The film, directed by “Somersault” and “Berlin Syndrome” director Cate Shortland, kicks off the fourth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The cast also includes Florence Pugh, David Harbour, O-T Fagbenle, William Hurt, Ray Winstone, and Rachel Weisz.
“Soul,” meanwhile, remains dated for a November release date. Rumors have circulated that “Soul” could be moved to Disney+ just as “Mulan” was earlier this month, but the studio has not announced any plans as of yet. “Soul” is the latest Pixar offering from “Up” and “Inside Out” Oscar winner Pete Doctor. Disney originally bumped “Soul” from June 19, 2020 to November. “Soul” is an official selection of the Cannes Film Festival and is set for a premiere at the London Film Festival. The voice cast includes Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Questlove, Phylicia Rashad, Daveed Diggs, and Angela Bassett.
With Disney’s fall tentpoles out of the way other than “Soul,” only the Bond movie “No Time to Die” remains in November as the big Thanksgiving holiday theatrical release. Warner Bros. has already moved Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot’s “Wonder Woman 1984” out of October and into the December 25 position, where it will open after the studio’s December 18 release of Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune.” Universal’s horror movie “Candyman” has also abandoned October for an unspecified 2021 release date.
A full list of Disney’s new release dates are listed below, courtesy of the the studio.
– DEATH ON THE NILE (20th) previously dated on 10/23/20 moves to 12/18/20
– THE EMPTY MAN (20th) previously dated on 12/4/20 moves to 10/23/20
– BLACK WIDOW (Disney) previously dated on 11/6/20 moves to 5/7/21
– ETERNALS (Disney) previously dated on 2/12/21 moves to 11/5/21
– SHANG CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS (Disney) previously dated on 5/7/21 moves to 7/9/21
– UNTITLED DISNEY EVENT FILM (Disney) previously dated on 7/9/21 is removed from schedule
– DEEP WATER (20th) previously dated on 11/13/20 moves to 8/13/21
– UNTITLED 20TH CENTURY (20th) previously dated on 8/13/21 is removed from schedule
– WEST SIDE STORY (20th) previously dated on 12/18/20 moves to 12/10/21
– THE KING’S MAN (20th) previously dated on 2/26/21 moves to 2/12/21
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