The eventual announcement of Marvel Studios delaying Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
One question that has continued to loom large for the entirety of Phase 4 is whether or not Black Widow will kick off the new era of the MCU in May as previously announced. Although the releases of many other major blockbusters have been delayed, Disney and Marvel Studios reportedly release of a final trailer for Scarlett Johansson's solo film, Black Widow's delay looks all but certain now.
In their continued efforts to limit crowds and prevent the coronavirus from spreading, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that they are recommending no social gatherings of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks. This recommendation is likely to shut down schools, businesses, and possibly even movie theaters into the middle of May. The enforcement of this crowd control would extend beyond Black Widow's May 1 release date and hence limit the number of people who could see it in theaters. Disney and Marvel Studios have yet to announce a delay, but the CDC's latest recommendation makes it almost inevitable.
Major theater chains like AMC and Regal Cinemas already began to limit the size of audiences in light of the coronavirus prior to this announcement. They enforced guidelines that would max out theaters at 50% capacity to keep those still interested in going to their locations far enough apart. Now, this advisement by the CDC could further limit the capacity of certain theaters. Even if theater chains stay open during the next eight weeks, Black Widow and other films would not be able to reach as large of an audience. So not only is Black Widow likely to move, but even more studios could soon announce delays to early summer movies.
Whenever Black Widow is delayed, Eternals' November 2020 release, but that will also cause more changes to the Phase 4 slate. There's no obvious solution for Marvel Studios when it comes to Black Widow's release, but sticking to the May release date could be disastrous for the film's box office potential.
