Is Mulan a nail in the coffin for movie theaters?

Will theaters survive if blockbusters like Mulan go to VOD?

Recently, Disney announced that their live-action remake of Mulan would get a simultaneous release in theaters and on their streaming service, Disney Plus. This runs contradictory to their previous intentions to make it exclusive to theaters.

Although it was originally slated to come out earlier this year, it’s been pushed back numerous times due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Now, it seems the company has adopted the same middle ground as Bill & Ted Face the Music, which is to give people a choice regarding whether or not to risk their health. For those staying at home, however, the asking price will be $29.99.

At first glance, this may seem pretty steep. After all, this is basically a glorified rental. You may get to watch Mulan anytime you want, but you can only do so if you maintain your Disney Plus subscription. If you decide to unsubscribe, you lose the movie.

This seems even more ridiculous when you can buy new movies on Blu-ray and DVD for $20-$25. Depending on which theater you select, you could even watch this Mulan remake for as cheap as $7 or $8 in a matinee showing. If you look a little deeper, however, you may find that this new development could be a viable alternative for the movie-going public. In fact, it could have dire consequences for movie theaters the world over.

Mulan could be just the beginning

First of all, consider that many people watch movies (particularly Disney movies) in a group. Whether it be with family or friends, going to the theater is often a social event. As such, if you go see Mulan at your local AMC, you probably won’t pay for one mere ticket. When you factor in three or more of them, your final receipt could easily exceed $30.

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This outcome is even more likely given the high prices of concessions and the gas money you’ll spend driving to the theater. Compared to that, it may be both easier and cheaper to simply gather your buddies in your living room and watch Mulan in the comfort of your home.

In addition, many people out there have at least one flatscreen TV in their home. Some of these screens are so massive that they take up most of the wall. When you combine this with an advanced sound system, you have a setup that nearly matches the booming spectacle of a theater without any of the hassle.

That brings us to the simple fact that watching things at home is more comfortable than the theater. Think about it. You don’t have to deal with a bunch of strangers talking throughout the film; you don’t have any big issues with the faulty seats; you can always get a good view of the screen; and you don’t have to step over any discarded food or trash on the floor.

On top of that, you can pause the movie at any point. If you get a call or need a bathroom break, you don’t have to worry about missing anything. No matter what the issue is, you can still enjoy Mulan and any other films at your own pace.

Such comforts are one of the reasons for the TV boom we’ve seen over the past several years. Why go to a theater to watch a two-hour movie when you can settle into your own environment and see numerous hours of a work that’s likely higher in quality?

This is compounded by how cinematic many TV shows are nowadays. Series like Vikings, Game of Thrones, Lost in Space, The Witcher, and The Expanse easily rival most blockbuster franchises in spectacle and effects.

Even if you believe in the peerless quality of movies over TV shows, you already have several high-profile cinematic projects being released on streaming platforms. Some, such as Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, have even garnered award recognition. Clearly, the big wigs in Hollywood see these platforms as a legitimate avenue for entertainment, so would it be much of a leap to put some of their bigger-budget popcorn flicks on there?

What would this mean for movie theaters?

Mulan and, by extension, Bill & Ted Face the Music could be the first steps to a landmark shift in the status quo. If people go for this, then it could send a clear message that theaters are irrelevant even after the Coronavirus passes. We’ve survived without them for months at this point.

Until now, that’s meant surviving without new blockbuster movies. If those blockbusters can come directly to us, especially if they maintain their quality, then why would we want to go back to the theater?

If this experiment works with Mulan, then more studios would presumably be incentivized to follow suit. A company as colossal as Disney surviving through digital releases would set a powerful example. We might see works like Wonder Woman 1984 or Black Widow come directly to our homes.

This, in turn, could benefit those studios since they’d no longer have to share their box office grosses with theaters. They’d effectively cut out the middleman.

The only major hindrance to this approach would be illegal viewing. Media that comes directly to your TV or computer screen is generally easier to pirate. You’d obviously have no theater attendants searching the room for recording software like they do for phones and cameras.

At this point, though, it remains to be seen whether this will work. We won’t know for sure until after the film comes out. Will Mulan usher in a new era of digital blockbusters? Will it be yet another nail in the coffin for movie theaters? Only time will tell.

Will you watch Mulan or Bill & Ted on demand? Do you think this release strategy will work? Do you lament the loss of theaters?

Mulan will be available to watch on Disney Plus. Bill & Ted Face the Music will be available through other digital platforms like Amazon and iTunes.