Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is getting an exclusive theater release — here’s why it’s not being released to Disney+ like so many other movies have. Set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Shang-Chi is a part of Phase Four and the second film to be released by Marvel this year following Black Widow. However, while the latter debuted in theaters on the same day viewers were able to stream it on Disney+ (for an additional $30 fee on the platform’s Premier Access), Shang-Chi is getting a theater-only experience.
The primary reason Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is not getting a simultaneous Disney+ release is because it has a shortened theatrical window, with the film only being in theaters for 45 days before it will be available to watch on Disney+. In the past, films had a 90-day theatrical release before they were made available on demand or to rent. Such is no longer the case as the pandemic has changed theatrical releases and studios’ plans for them. In the case of Shang-Chi, Disney CEO Bob Chapek affirmed the MCU film would be released solely to theaters during an earnings call in August — the film wasn’t about to change course for a sudden release on the streaming service due to the “practicality of last-minute changes” that removes the opportunity for the film to have a dual release. This makes it the first Marvel film to get a shortened theatrical release.
Shang-Chi getting an exclusive theatrical release wouldn’t be so unheard of before the pandemic, but the theater-only release nowadays ultimately does hurt Marvel. Namely, it hurts viewers, many of whom are still uncomfortable with being in theaters — an enclosed space with a crowd of people, poor ventilation, and sometimes a lack of masks — due to the ongoing pandemic and the rise of the delta variant of COVID-19. For fans who do want to support the film in its first month and a half of release, but are unwilling to go to theaters to do it, won’t have the opportunity to do so because Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is not getting a simultaneous release.
What’s more, not making Shang-Chi available on Premier Access could heavily affect how much money it makes. If thousands of potential viewers aren’t seeing it in theaters and there’s no additional fee to watch it when it debuts on Disney+ later on, then its earnings will surely see an impact. It remains to be seen, however, how many Disney+ subscribers will watch the film after it’s released to the streamer. Even Marvel’s marketing will have shifted towards focusing its attention on promoting Eternals, the next film in the Phase Four slate.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to enjoy films the way they were meant to be seen on the big screen because of the pandemic and changes that have cropped up due to its effects. But despite Black Widow’s release leading to a lawsuit, giving it and Jungle Cruise a simultaneous theatrical and streaming release made it more easily accessible to audiences, who were able to watch it from the comfort of their homes amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings not getting the same treatment (despite the reasons listed above) impacts Marvel and the audience who likely would have paid to stream it on Disney+.
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