Coronavirus: Disney puts hold on Mulan, Avatar and Star Wars over pandemic
Written by News on 24/07/2020
Disney has delayed the theatrical debut of Mulan indefinitely and has put the Avatar and Star Wars films on ice for a year.
The decision to hold back the live-action remake of Mulan will come as a fresh blow to cinema operators as they struggle to deal with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
It had already been postponed several times since its scheduled release date on 27 March.
Avatar’s sequel has been postponed by a year to December 2022.
And the next instalment in the Star Wars franchise has also been pushed back by 12 months to 2023.
Avatar director James Cameron wrote a heartfelt message to fans, saying the live-action filming in New Zealand has started but there was a “lengthy delay” due to the pandemic.
He said what is really holding production back is that they cannot continue “most of our virtual production work” on stages in Los Angeles which is “just as critical to the films as the live action work”.
“There is no one more disappointed about this delay than me,” he added.
Cinemas around the world have been closed due to the pandemic, with studios either deciding to delay the release of films for months – as opening weekends are where they make the most money – or to release them directly on streaming or download platforms.
Smaller films such as Artemis Fowl have landed on Disney Plus but the studio is unlikely to allow big, blockbuster titles like Mulan skip their theatre releases.
(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Disney puts hold on Mulan, Avatar and Star Wars over pandemic
