Studio wants to “experiment” with a 45-day theatrical release window
Disney CEO Bob Chapek confirmed during the company’s quarterly earnings call on Thursday that his studio is committed to releasing the Marvel Studios film “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” with 45 days of theatrical exclusivity despite the surge in COVID-19 infections threatening the global box office. Chapek explained that while the studio made the decision to put the next MCU film in theaters only rather than a hybrid release on Disney+ when infection rates were much lower, they feel that the film will provide the studio with an opportunity to test both the film’s box office and streaming performance under a theatrical window that is shorter than the 90-day period that Hollywood operated under prior to the pandemic. “On ‘Shang-Chi,’ we think it’s going to be an interesting experiment,” Chapek said. “The prospect of taking a Marvel title to [Disney+] after just 45 days would be an interesting data point.
