Although vaccines are rolling out and there's a hint of normality (whatever that means) on the horizon, we haven't seen the last of theatrical movies opting for a simultaneous debut in theaters and on streaming services, and Disney is no exception. The studio has several movies slated for a theatrical/Disney+ Premier release, including Cruella on May 28th, Black Widow on July 9th, and Jungle Cruise on July 30th, but they will be sticking to a theatrical debut for some of their films.
During Disney's second-quarter earnings call today, Disney CEO Bob Chapek confirmed that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Free Guy will both debut in theaters, where they will remain for 45 days before being available to stream. That cuts the typical theatrical release window largely in half, and it's following in the footsteps of other studios such as Paramount, who announced earlier this year that they would be making Mission: Impossible 7, A Quiet Place: Part II, and others available on the Paramount+ streaming service 45 days after they hit theaters. It's not clear at this time if this means that Shang-Chi and Free Guy will be available for all Disney+ subscribers or if this is another Premier situation, or if they'll be available on some other PVOD platforms, but I'd imagine that we'll find out more soon. Free Guy is slated for an August 13, 2021 release, while Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will hit theaters on September 3, 2021.