There was a time pre-COVID where any new Disney film would release in theaters and almost certainly be a shoo-in for a billion-dollar box office haul. It's been a while since the House of Mouse has experienced that sort of success as the global pandemic has shuttered theaters around much of the world. As a result, studios and production companies have had to get creative with their movie releases. While some are still releasing movies to theaters, others are turning to their parent company's streaming service. Some are adopting a hybrid approach.
For Disney, their approach to movie releases has been somewhat inconsistent, especially as it applies to its streaming service, Disney+. Some movies, like Mulan, feature a premium charge on top of your monthly subscription, while others, like Soul, were available for free.
For Walt Disney Animation Studios' Raya and the Last Dragon, Disney will be doing a simultaneous release. The computer-animated action-adventure fantasy film is scheduled to release in theaters on Friday, March 5, 2021, in the United States. It will also be available simultaneously on Disney+ for those who don't want to risk going to a theater amidst the pandemic. However, Raya and the Last Dragon will be gated behind a Premier Access charge.
Like Mulan, it will cost $29.99 to watch Raya and the Last Dragon on Disney+ upon release. That's on top of the monthly subscription fee.
Of course, like all Disney movies, Raya and the Last Dragon will eventually be free to watch on Disney+. Disney hasn't announced when the movie will drop the Premier Access charge, but the usual pattern is three months after release. That would mean Raya and the Last Dragon could be free in June.
“Raya and the Last Dragon” takes us on an exciting, epic journey to the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together long ago in harmony. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. However, along her journey, she’ll learn that it’ll take more than a dragon to save the world—it’s going to take trust and teamwork as well.
Raya and the Last Dragon boasts an incredible voice cast, including Kelly Marie Tran as the intrepid warrior Raya; Awkwafina as the legendary dragon, Sisu; Gemma Chan as Raya’s nemesis, Namaari; Daniel Dae Kim as Raya’s visionary father, Benja; Sandra Oh as Namaari’s powerful mother, Virana; Benedict Wong as Tong, a formidable giant; and Alan Tudyk as Raya's best friend and trusty steed, Tuk Tuk.
Do you plan on watching Raya and the Last Dragon in theaters or on Disney+ with the Premier Access charge? Or will you wait until it's free on the streaming service?