Marvel Studios has announced that BLACK WIDOW is being delayed from its May 1 launch. For the moment, Marvel has yet to reveal a new date for the tentpole feature that stars Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff, the MCU's most dangerous and elusive female superspy.
The decision to postpone the theatrical debut of BLACK WIDOW comes not long after major theater outlets the likes of AMC, Regal, and Alamo Drafthouse confirmed that they will be shuttering their cinemas nationwide as the coronavirus pandemic continues to be a threat to theatergoers.
Alamo Drafthouse included a statement about their closing shop, which you can read for yourself below:
"Goodbye for now. But we'll be back! When we reopen after this unprecedented and indefinite hiatus, it will be in a dramatically altered world, and in an industry that’s been shaken to its core. We’ll be in close contact over the coming days and weeks with our teams, suppliers, and colleagues on what these closures mean and what we plan to do next."
In related news, Disney recently postponed the launch of THE NEW MUTANTS, MULAN, and ANTLERS, stating that the move is due to "an abundance of caution.”
“As you know this has been a rapidly evolving situation and I wanted to make you aware that we are postponing the releases of ‘Mulan,’ ‘The New Mutants,’ and ‘Antlers’ out of an abundance of caution. We truly believe in the moviegoing experience, and we are looking at new potential 2020 release dates to be announced at a later date,” Disney said in a statement.
Directed by Cate Shortland and written by Eric Pearson from a story by Jac Schaeffer and Ned Benson, BLACK WIDOW finds the events of the upcoming film taking place inside a two-year span between CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR and AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. The long overdue solo adventure stars Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz.
I think that we all saw this coming, did we not? While I'm disappointed that BLACK WIDOW won't make its May 1 release, it's far more important that people stay safe, and refrain from gathering in enclosed spaces, such as a movie theater. Additionally, Natasha has been rather patient with regards to getting her first solo adventure up on the big screen, so I'm sure that she's prepared to wait just a bit longer. And who knows, maybe, just maybe, Disney will unleash BLACK WIDOW on Disney+, as a sure-fire way of gaining subscribers during these times of social-isolation and uncertainty.
We'll of course bring you any updates about this situation as they come about.