Coronavirus pushes back 'Mulan,' 'Fast and Furious' release dates
Also delayed are 'The Lovebirds' and 'A Quite Place 2'
The highly anticipated live-action remake of Disney's "Mulan" and the latest in the "Fast and Furious" franchise are among the films that will be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mulan and a handful of other Disney films set to release later this year will come out at a later time. Mulan was to release March 27 across the U.S.
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The director of the live-action spin on the successful Disney princess film, Niki Caro, posted to her Instagram account Thursday:
"We are so excited to share this film with the world, but given the current ever-shifting circumstances we are all experiencing, unfortunately, we have to postpone the worldwide release for Mulan for now. Our hearts are with everyone the world over who is affected by this virus, and we hope that Mulan's fighting spirit will continue to inspire those who are working so hard to keep us safe."
The initial, animated version of "Mulan" raked in $304 million globally and was the second most successful family film of 1998.
Disney joined Paramount and Universal Thursday with announcements concerning the change in release dates for films later due to the coronavirus outbreak. Paramount pushed the release of Issa Rae-starring comedy "The Lovebirds" and the "A Quiet Place" sequel.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIS | THE WALT DISNEY CO. | 117.17 | -0.49 | -0.42% |
| VIAC | NO DATA AVAILABLE | - | - | - |
| CMCSA | COMCAST CORP. | 43.29 | +0.10 | +0.23% |
Universal is delaying the release of "Fast 9," the latest in the "Fast and Furious" series, which has grossed nearly $6 billion at box offices worldwide, until April 2, 2021.
“While we know there is disappointment in having to wait a little while longer, this move is made with the safety of everyone as our foremost consideration,” franchise star Vin Diesel said, according to Variety.
Universal is owned by Comcast, while Paramount is owned by ViacomCBS.
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While many states have put in place limitations on gathers of more than 250 people, U.S. theaters have not gone dark quite yet, but there is a growing concern given the ongoing cinema blackout in China.