Disney+ European launch event canceled due to Coronavirus concerns

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Whether you believe the Coronavirus outbreak is pure media hype or a genuine cause for national concern, many aren't taking chances and Disney is the latest entity to halt one of their events due Coronavirus concerns. Disney had planned a highly-publicized event for the European launch of its streaming service Disney+ in London but the event has been forced to be canceled due to fears regarding the virus.

The event was to have taken place at the Exhibition London event space on March 5. The glitzy showcase was set to include “exclusive” presentations from key executives and creative heads, while a number of special guests were expected to attend. Due to the global pandemic that has reportedly killed over 3,000 people infected nearly 90,000, Disney is playing it safe by halting the event, especially since it was supposed hundreds of people. To make up for the canceled launch party, Disney will promote the Disney+ launch through social media and press notices. The company will also showcase the streaming service to select journalists during a demo in central London on Friday. Disney released the following statement about the cancellation:

"Due to a number of media attendee cancellations and increasing concerns at the prospect of traveling internationally at this time, we have decided to cancel our Disney+ launch events scheduled to take place on Thursday and Friday."

Concerns over the Coronavirus has seen a number of industry events affected due to fears regarding the virus. Reports emerged today that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics could be postponed until the end of the year while SXSW will go on as planned but notable attendees have opted to not to attend due to concerns, including Twitter & Facebook. "Deadline" has compromised a list of canceled events affecting the industry and the list continues to grow. At the end of the day, lives are far more important than industry events and parties but Hollywood is feeling the burn from the pandemic, particularly overseas. The latest MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE sequel halted filming in Italy due to the Coronavirus and the box office in China, which is a huge overseas market, has seen many high-profile releases skipping debuts in the area.

I figure it's better safe, than sorry. It's possible that the media is blowing this up more than they should but even if their  is a  slight chance the fear level on this is of real concern, I say the cancellations are necessary. Do YOU think it's all being blown out of proportion or should we be concerned?