Disney releases 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker', 'Frozen 2' early

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, Disney has released Frozen 2 three months early on Disney+. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has also been released early on iTunes, Vudu and other digital storefronts.

Early releases
Due to the coronavirus situation, new titles from Disney such as the Mulan remake and Antlers have been postponed but are still planned for theatrical release.

Titles like Frozen 2 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on the other hand had already completed their theatrical run and were just sitting on digital shelves somewhere waiting for the hold-out period to end. Disney has now decided to release Frozen 2 three months early on Disney+.

- "Frozen 2 has captivated audiences around the world through its powerful themes of perseverance and the importance of family, messages that are incredibly relevant during this time, and we are pleased to be able to share this heartwarming story early with our Disney+ subscribers to enjoy at home on any device," said Bob Chapek, CEO, Disney.

In the US, Frozen 2 is available to stream on Disney+ now. It will be available on Disney+ in Canada, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand on March 17. In the US, it is initially available in HD, with 4K HDR available in all regions from March 17.



As for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker it has been released early for digital purchase through Apple TV (née iTunes), Amazon, Google Play Movies, Vudu, and other digital storefronts. The Blu-ray release date will remain March 31.

A few other smaller movies from various studios were also released early this weekend but as for new big-budget movies all studies have opted to postpose the premiere rather than experiment with an early digital release.

Disney+ will expand to large parts of Europe on March 24.