Disney Updates Movie Release Schedule, Sends Another Film Direct to Disney+ Release

The upcoming slate of movie releases is in a constant state of flux for every major studio, as the coronavirus pandemic has caused a shift in the entire industry. A company like Walt Disney Studios, which consists of several substantial studios within itself, has a lot of dates to juggle. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that Disney has altered its release schedule yet again, moving a few more pieces around to keep from releasing all of its 2020 films in the same short window.

Disney announced a flurry of release date changes on Friday afternoon, giving five films from across its various studios new premieres. The most notable of which is Disney’s upcoming animated movie The One and Only Ivan. The film was initially supposed to be released in theaters on August 14th, but Disney has now removed it from the theatrical calendar and sent it to the Disney+ streaming service, where it will premiere exclusively on August 21st.

The other three changes simply reveal new release dates for films. None of the other films are getting sent to streaming. The Beatles: Get Back is being moved from September 4th all the way back to August 27, 2021. The 20th Century film Everybody’s Talking About Jamie was originally supposed to hit theaters on October 23rd of this year, but will instead debut on January 22, 2021. The Personal History of David Copperfield was previously removed from the release schedule in the last big shift, but has now been given The One and Only Ivan‘s former release date, August 14th.

None of these films are massive events for Disney, but every decision about release dates effects all the rest. When the initial coronavirus delays were put in place, all of the upcoming Marvel Studios films were affected, each pushed back to the next film’s release date, on down the line. This means that Black Widow, which was initially slated for May, will now premiere in November, pushing The Eternals back to 2021.

Disney’s next major release is currently Mulan, with a July 24th release date. Depending on how many theaters are able to reopen, that could also be in flux.

What do you think of Disney’s new schedule shifts? Are you looking forward to seeing these new movies? Let us know in the comments!