Disney Delays 'Mulan' Release Again Due To Surge In Coronavirus Cases
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- Disney has once again delayed the release of "Mulan."
The studio's summer tentpole was already delayed once due to coronavirus, moving from its March 27 original premiere date to July 24.
Now, as growing coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in California and a few other states continue to concern health officials, the film has been pushed to Aug. 21.
"While the pandemic has changed our release plans for 'Mulan' and we will continue to be flexible as conditions require, it has not changed our belief in the power of this film and its message of hope and perseverance," said Disney's co-chairman and chief creative officer Alan Horn and co-chairman Alan Bergman in a statement. "Director Niki Caro and our cast and crew have created a beautiful, epic, and moving film that is everything the cinematic experience should be, and that's where we believe it belongs – on the world stage and the big screen for audiences around the globe to enjoy together."
The announcement follows one day after Warner Bros. announced that the release date for Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" has been pushed back again to Aug. 12.
Last week, Regal Cinemas announced it would begin reopening its theaters on July 10, while AMC announced it would begin reopening July 15. However, there has been a large uptick in coronavirus cases across California and a large swath of the U.S. over the past few weeks that could throw those plans into flux. California's hospitalization rates for COVID-19 have been steadily increasing.
While California public health officials gave the OK for movie theaters statewide to reopen earlier this month, Los Angeles County itself has not yet given permission for its theaters to reopen. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this week that he also would not be giving permission for theaters to reopen.
