Covid-19 has really screwed up the moviegoing experience for many, and led to major movie studios delaying big budget releases… sometimes indefinitely. One film that has already seen more than its share of delays is Disney’s live action version of MULAN, which is now going into years of delays, originally intended for a 2019 release, it was rescheduled for release earlier this year (March 27), then pushed back to July 24th thanks to Covid-19, and eventually pulled from that date when Coronavirus cases continued to rise. And now, The Walt Disney Company has made the somewhat shocking announcement that the film will now skip movie theaters entirely, and premiere on their streaming service Disney+ on September 4, 2020. But unlike most of the content we’ve seen so far on the service, this will not be free to watch, you’ll have to rent it for $29.99, which is not completely unreasonable considering the cost of movie tickets these days, basically this equates to what two people would pay to see a major release on opening weekend. Why is this a big deal? Well, considering the reported budget was in the $200 million dollar range, premiering it on a streaming service, even with a required payment to view it, means it’s very possible the film could either perform incredibly well (like the new TROLLS movie did a few months back), or be a huge bomb for the Mouse House. Disney already took a hit releasing ARTEMIS FOWL on Disney+ instead of theaters, which was another costly film from their studio, and another film that had already seen considerable delays… and that movie didn’t even have the benefit of a rental fee, it was just offered for free on the service. Keep in mind, MULAN will only be available to rent on Disney+, not other services like iTunes or Amazon, meaning you must have a subscription to Disney+ (which isn’t free), and then also pay the rental fee to watch the movie. Some are wondering if this means Disney might also put other films like JUNGLE CRUISE and BLACK WIDOW on streaming as well, but don’t get too cocky just yet.

During an investor call, Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek weighed in on these developments, and what it may mean for Disney movie releases moving forward. “We’re fortunate that we have the opportunity to bring it to our direct-to-consumer platform so consumers can enjoy it, but we’re looking at Mulan as a one-off, as opposed to say that there’s some new business windowing model that we’re looking at. So Mulan is a one-off. That said, we find it very interesting to be able to take a new offering, a premiere access offering, to consumers at that $29.99 price and learn from it and see what happens. Not only in terms of the uptake of the number of subscribers that we get on the platform, but the actual number of transactions on the Disney+ platform that we get on that PVOD offering… we can test almost anything when you have your own platform… we’re going to have a chance to learn from this.” It’s very important to note the wording here, especially the expression “one-off”, which would indicate this is not something they’re considering for other big budget releases, at least not yet. Now, if MULAN makes a ton of money with this formula, there’s no reason why they might not change their mind and try other films.

Also brought into question is what will happen with Chinese audiences, as MULAN is absolutely hoping to cash in on the China box office, and theaters over there are still closed down too. No word yet on whether or not it will hit a streaming service in that market, but expect an announcement soon. Disney has already announced a $4.72 billion net loss for their 2020 third fiscal quarter, so they desperately need to see a profit on some of these bigger movies, however it can be achieved. How do you feel about this rental concept? Do you think it’s a good idea or a huge mistake? Tell us in the comments below.

In MULAN, Liu Yifei plays “Hua Mulan”, and the impressive supporting cast features Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Ron Yuan, Tzi Ma, Rosalind Chao, Cheng Pei-Pei, Nelson Lee, Chum Ehelepola, with Gong Li and Jet Li. The film is directed by Niki Caro, who previously helmed THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE.

When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation…and a proud father. “Mulan” features a celebrated international cast that includes: Yifei Liu as Mulan; Donnie Yen as Commander Tung; Jason Scott Lee as Böri Khan; Yoson An as Cheng Honghui; with Gong Li as Xianniang and Jet Li as the Emperor. The film is directed by Niki Caro from a screenplay by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver and Elizabeth Martin & Lauren Hynek based on the narrative poem “The Ballad of Mulan.”

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