In a rare disclosure, Disney has announced that Black Widow debuted to over $60 million on Disney+ Premier Access and $158 million in theaters worldwide.
Marvel is back
For the first time, a new Marvel Cinematic Universal movie debuted simultaneously on Disney+ and in theaters. So how did it go?
Disney has announced that Black Widow debuted to "an estimated total of more than $215M globally this weekend, including $80M in domestic box office, $78M in international box office, and over $60M in Disney+ Premier Access consumer spend globally".
A couple of details worth highlighting:
Exhibitors usually take a 40-50% cut of box office grosses whereas Premier Access revenue is almost exclusively Disney's – it may sometimes be subject to Apple, Google and others' in-app fees.
Disney has spent decades building and nurturing its theatrical business, but due to covid some theaters are still closed down or operating with restrictions. Others are simply refusing to screen Black Widow due to Disney's new strategy.
Disney+ Premier Access was launched just 10 months ago and is available in some 50 countries. It is available on select devices/platforms.
What is next?
Disney says that the strong performance affirms its simultaneous release strategy. The company has not shared viewership data on previous Premier Access releases like Cruella and Mulan.
- "Black Widow’s strong performance this weekend affirms our flexible distribution strategy of making franchise films available in theaters for a true cinematic experience and, as COVID concerns continue globally, providing choice to consumers who prefer to watch at home on Disney+," said Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution.
Disney's upcoming Jungle Cruise will also debut as a Premier Access title but it is unclear how Disney will approach future Marvel movies.
The company used the opportunity to highlight its Marvel TV shows on Disney+ and said that "Marvel fans have streamed nearly 3 billion hours of content on Disney+".
- Source: Disney
