The impact of the coronavirus outbreak is spreading almost as fast as the virus itself. And with several highly anticipated blockbuster films like Mulan and A Quiet Place Part 2 already postponing their release dates, it should come as no surprise to hear that Disney announced on Tuesday, March 17, as per The Hollywood Reporter, that Black Widow's release date has been delayed as concerns for the ongoing pandemic continues to grow.
Originally, the film, which stars Scarlett Johansson in the titular role, was scheduled to hit theaters in North America on May 1, but now it seems Marvel fans will have to wait a bit longer to catch a glimpse of Black Widow's backstory. The studio has yet to reschedule the release date for a future point in time. Bustle reached out to representatives for Marvel and Scarlett Johansson for comment, but did not receive any immediate responses.
This isn't the first film Disney has decided to postpone in the wake of the coronavirus. The releases of Searchlight Pictures' The Personal History of David Copperfield, starring Dev Patel, as well as 20th Century's Woman in the Window, starring Amy Adams, have both been pushed back to undetermined launch dates as well. This is also true for the studio's other upcoming films, including The New Mutants and Antlers.
Meanwhile, Universal opted to shift the ninth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise from May of this year to April 2021. Paramount pulled a similar move with A Quiet Place Part 2, delaying its release just eight days before it was scheduled to hit theaters. Mulan was given the same kind of treatment, announcing that its original March 27 release had been postponed. Additionally, the James Bond film No Time To Die moved its release from April to November earlier this month.
Some theaters still remain open at this time, however, it's going to continue to be more and more difficult to go to the theater in the coming weeks. On Monday, March 16, two of the nation's biggest theater chains, Regal Cinemas and AMC Theaters, announced that all of their theaters will shut indefinitely to help implement social distancing and preventing their patrons from spreading the virus to one another.
The only remaining Disney productions that still have their originally scheduled release dates this spring are Artemis Fowl, which is scheduled to come out on Friday, May 29, and Pixar's Soul that's slated to launch on Friday, June 19. However, depending upon how long this national health crisis lasts, they too could end up getting bumped to a later date.
If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and coughing, call NHS 111 in the UK or visit the CDC website in the U.S. for up-to-date information and resources. You can find all Bustle’s coverage of coronavirus here, and UK-specific updates on coronavirus here.
