New rumors speculate that Disney may be planning to skip a theatrical premiere altogether for some of its upcoming live-action remakes in favor of a straight to streaming release. The films in question include Pinocchio starring Tom Hanks, the Emma Stone reimagining of Cruella, and Peter Pan and Wendy with Yahara Shahidi as Tinkerbell.
While there doesn’t seem to be a final decision on where to release these new films that were originally planned as blockbusters, apparently a release on Disney+ is one of the contending options.
“The studio is looking at every option, and everything is under consideration and contingency planning, as Disney makes plans to lean in heavily on its direct-to-consumer initiative,” Deadline reports.
If Disney did decide to forego a traditional theatrical release, there’s no telling whether the films would be included in a basic Disney+ subscription, or if they’d be an add on PVOD like the streamer did with Mulan. The live-action remake of the classic Disney animation came with a $29.99 Premier Access price tag on top of the regular Disney+ subscription of $6.99/month.
Disney might also just include the films under the monthly subscription rate like WarnerMedia is planning to do with Wonder Woman 1984. The anticipated superhero film will officially debut on HBO Max on Christmas Day, Dec. 25th, in the US — the same day that the film will premiere in movie theaters.