take down the Red Room, the organization that trained her as an assassin when she was growing up. With the help of her family, Natasha will attempt to free the Red Room while facing off with its leader, the mysterious Taskmaster. The cast also includes Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov, and Rachel Weisz as Melina Vostokoff.
Marvel's long-awaited solo film for Natasha is finally hitting theaters this month after its original release date back in May 2020 was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Like many blockbuster titles planned for a 2020 release date, Black Widow faced numerous release changes, with Disney and Marvel determined to still give it a theater debut. As theaters have reopened in the past few months, Black Widow will get a simultaneous theater and Disney+ via Premier Access release on July 9, 2021. While fans will be able to see Natasha's highly-anticipated backstory both from home or in theaters, Shortland says that the movie was really meant to be experienced one way.
When asked about Black Widow's simultaneous theater and Disney+ Premier release, Shortland told Deadline that the movie was made to be seen in theaters. While the director noted that she is happy people who are not yet comfortable going to the theater can still watch it from home, she says the movie is best watched from a big screen. Read Shortland's full quote below:
Well, we made this film to be seen in cinemas, and it’s not so much seen in cinemas, it’s felt in cinemas because we created the sound, and the music, and just the huge beautiful spectacle was to be seen on a big screen. So, as a director, I want people, if they’re safe, to see it in that environment, but I know some people can’t for a lot of reasons, pandemic and also a lot of reasons. So, it’s really cool that other people will still get to see the movie.
To watch it on Disney+, subscribers will have to purchase the movie for $29.99. Black Widow will then release on Disney+ at no extra cost for subscribers on October 6, 2021. Initially, Disney+'s straight to streaming deal immediately received backlash from audiences and theater owners. Fans heavily criticized the hefty price, with many saying the $30 is not worth watching the movie from home and that it's really only a deal for families. Disney first tested this plan on Mulan, followed by other films, including the live-action remake Cruella, and now Black Widow.
With theaters reopened and moviegoers feeling safe enough to return to theaters, the ability for blockbuster movies to be seen on the big screen is finally here as many highly-anticipated movies are coming out this summer and in the fall. This is particularly special for the Black Widow-centric film, which viewers have understandably been impatient for considering she appeared in seven MCU movies before she was given her solo story. While fans who are not comfortable or able to go to the cinemas to see the movie will still be able to watch it from home, it seems that, like most superhero films, this is a movie that will feel more special to watch in the theaters with big speakers, a big screen and an audience of Black Widow fans.
Source: Deadline
