Disney+ – Black Widow & The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Release Dates Changed?
These are strange times, and predicting release dates just won’t get you anywhere. Apparently, even the scheduled releases are tentative and subject to changes. Marvel has scheduled Black Widow for a May 7, 2021 release date, but if the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t allow it, then the film might be moved again. You may have thought that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier might arrive in Spring, well before the Black Widow movie. But even that doesn’t seem to be the case according to the latest leak. Here, watch the following leaked trailer that Cosmic Culture has brought forward:
As you can see, this leaked Disney+ trailer shows everything that is coming to Disney+ in 2021. Apparently, there’s an 18+ wing that is being launched on the streamer. The likes of Kingsman, The Predator, Shape of Water, Red Sparrow, Stuber, Deadpool and Logan might be released in the Disney 18+ category. This trailer certainly doesn’t seem fake or fan made because of its amazing soundtrack, and the way it has been edited. It mentions release dates for all projects, and the inclusion of the 18+ wing is totally awesome because Fox had a relatively long list of R-rated movies. Anyway, the reveals we need to focus on are regarding the releases of Black Widow and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
The trailer mentions specific dates for both these projects. Black Widow is mentioned for a Premier Access release on April 16. So, it looks like Wonder Woman 1984’s shift to HBO Max has also enticed Disney to keep that option open for Black Widow. Since Disney+’s subscription fee is much lower than HBO Max, and Black Widow is a big budget movie, it is understandable that Disney will be charging a premium fee under their Premier Access banner, just like they did with Mulan.
Mulan’s Premier Access returns were good until a controversy hit the film. But Black Widow is a much bigger IP than Mulan, so its returns will definitely be much bigger than Mulan. Everyone’s hungry for some MCU content, and THR just reported that Disney will put a much bigger focus on Disney+. So, Black Widow’s Premier Access release is understandable. But even if Disney takes this route, we have to imagine that they will also keep the theatrical option open. Black Widow is a movie meant to be watched in the theatres. So, people who can watch it in theatres could certainly opt for that mode.
What’s important to note here is the release date of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Apparently, August 13 is the date that the aforementioned leaked trailer shows. This series was initially supposed to arrive in August 2019. So, if this trailer is legitimate, then The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is actually getting delayed for a whole year due to COVID-19. On top of that, it once again supports the notion that Marvel just cannot release The Falcon and the Winter Soldier before they put out Black Widow.
There was a reason why Black Widow was placed before the Sam and Bucky series. Rumors suggested that the stories of these two projects are connected through the Thunderbolts. Black Widow will set up the Thunderbolts, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will take their story forward. Now, those rumors have possibly been confirmed.
Kevin Feige recently stated that the change in Phase 4’s schedule won’t affect the stories and connectivity of the upcoming projects. So, we thought that Marvel may have made the required changes in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, so that it doesn’t spoil Black Widow if it arrives before the film. But now it’s more or less certain that no changes have been made to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Disney will indeed push it to August. In the meanwhile, WandaVision, Black Widow, and probably even the What if…? series will be increasing the subs on Disney+.
It’s just sad that we might have to wait till August 2021 for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier now. That would mean that Loki, Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye will arrive much later!
