Will movies delayed by coronavirus shift to Streaming? Not so fast
Hollywood is in a bind. Studios are stuck postponing major film release because of coronavirus, and though it might seem like an obvious next step to simply release them online, experts say it’s unlikely these titles will premiere on streaming services like Disney+.
Facing grim prospects, upcoming releases including Disney’s “Mulan”, Paramount’s “A Quiet Place” sequel and Universal’s latest Fast & Furious adventure “F9” have all been delayed.
“A movie like ‘Mulan’ has a big budget, and it’s not so easy to just put it on Disney+,” Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at Boxoffice.com, told “CNN Business”. “A major release like that costs Disney hundreds of millions of dollars and the financial lifespan of a production of that size needs to have some sort of theatrical release to make its money back.”
The prospect of millions more people staying at home could be a short-term boon to these fledging streaming ventures, as well as traditional TV networks. In that regard, companies like Disney and WarnerMedia (the parent of “CNN”) – which own multiple channels – are positioned to have more people watching broadcast and cable even if they don’t ante up for their individual services.
