Just as movie theaters are reopening, Disney deals them another blow.
Just as live sports were seen as the last bastion of cable TV, Marvel’s superhero blockbusters were expected to keep movie theaters viable in the era of streaming. In the last few days, though, cracks have formed in both lines of thinking. Walt Disney Co., in a reshuffling of its movie release schedule because of the Covid-19 pandemic, said Tuesday that Marvel’s “Black Widow” will be available on the Disney+ streaming app the same day it arrives in theaters, which is now set for July 9. (Those wishing to stream will incur a fee on top of the regular $8-a-month Disney+ membership price.) The news sent shares of AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc., the largest cinema operator, plunging 15%. Related Reading: If Only Saving AMC Were as Easy as Buying Stock: Tara Lachapelle Disney’s shocker came days after the National Football League gave Amazon.com Inc.’s Prime Video the exclusive rights to “Thursday Night Football” from 2023 to 2033 for a reported $1 billion a year. Concurrent contract renewals with Disney’s ESPN, Comcast Corp.
