Mulan will finally make its anticipated debut next month, but it won't be in theaters. With the coronavirus pandemic still surging and uncertainty surrounding when theaters will open, Disney has made the decision to release Mulan on its streaming platform, Disney+.
The decision comes after numerous delays for the film. During Disney's earnings call, Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced:
"We are announcing today that, in most Disney+ markets – including the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and a number of countries in Western Europe – we will be offering Disney+ subscribers the epic adventure Mulan on Disney+ on a Premier Access basis beginning September 4."
Mulan will premiere on Disney+ on September 4 and will cost $29.99 to watch as a rental, although the price will vary slightly from country to country. This premium price is in addition to the $6.99 monthly subscription fee for Disney+ subscribers, although it sounds like non-subscribers will also be able to pay the $30 to watch the film. This is also $10 more than what Universal charged for Trolls World Tour when it released for rental on VOD services.
It should be noted that this is a rental, not a buy to own deal. It's unclear how long Mulan will be available for you once you do pay or how many times you'll be able to watch it. Universal allowed viewers a 48-hour rental window and unlimited watches for Trolls World Tour.
Mulan will still release theatrically in specific markets that have no announced launch plans for Disney+ and where theaters are open, like China. Chapek referred to Mulan's unique release as a "one-off" and not "some new business windowing model that we’re looking at."
Disney still has other blockbusters in the wings, including The New Mutants (August 28) and Marvel's Black Widow (November 6), and it sounds like the plan for now is to release these in theaters. Of course, with no end in sight for the virus, nothing is set in stone and this sort of one-off could become more commonplace until theaters do open -- especially if Mulan proves successful.