Disney announced that it has pushed back the release date for its live-action remake of the 1998 animated classic Mulan from July 24 to August 21.
“While the [COVID-19] 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,” Alan Horn, Co-Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, and Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman, The Walt Disney Studios said in a statement.
The live-action remake — starring Liu Yifei and directed by Niki Caro — was initially slated to debut in North American theaters on March 27. It was then changed to July 24.
COVID-19 cases have been spiking in several states across the country. Disney doesn’t want to be the first studio to release a major film in the middle of a pandemic when the company is unsure of about how many people will show up.
Movie theaters across the country, and the world, have been closed for most of 2020 to help stop the spread of coronavirus. Major cinema chains in the U.S., such as AMC, Regal and Cinemark, have been aiming to resume business in July. When they do open, it’s unclear how eager patrons will be to return to the movies.