The theatrical success of the Disney/Marvel film "Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" has made Disney rethink the way it releases movies during the pandemic. The blockbuster made over $90 million in it's first weekend in theaters, and it was number one at the box office for the second week in a row this past weekend, making $35-point-7 million.
The fact that the movie is exclusively in theaters, and not streaming yet on Disney Plus probably has something to do with it's box office success. I'm sure lots of people would rather pay to watch a new movie in the comfort of their own home, while enjoying their own, less expensive snacks, so by removing that option they've forced people back to the theaters. That's what Disney is banking on.
The company announced that the rest of the films they have scheduled for release this year will come out exclusively in theaters, and will have to wait 45 days before heading to Disney Plus. These films, including “The Last Duel,” “Ron's “Gone Wrong,” and “Eternals,” will screen only in theaters for at least 45 days. A couple of movies scheduled to be released in December, “West Side Story" and "The King's Man” will follow that same process.
The only exception is the animated musical movie "Encanto" which hits theaters November 24th for a 30-day window before making it's way to Disney Plus on Christmas Eve.
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