Shang-Chi is coming to Disney Plus sooner than expected

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be arriving to Disney Plus after a shortened theatrical window.

Unlike Black Widow, the next Marvel Phase 4 film won't be a Premier Access release on the same day it debuts theatrically – and will instead hit the streamer after a 45 day theatrical run.

The news was announced during Disney's earnings call. "We think it's actually going to be an interesting experiment for us," Disney CEO Bob Chapek commented, "because it only has a 45 day window for us [before streaming]." (H/T Collider)

Theatrical runs are usually 90 days, so Shang-Chi will have its time in theaters shortened by about a month and a half. This move is in line with Warner Bros.' 2022 strategy, which will see their movies screen in theaters for 45 days before going to HBO Max. This year, all Warner Bros. releases, including The Suicide Squad, have gone out simultaneously in theaters and free on the streamer. 

Black Widow had a successful opening, but box office numbers dropped soon after – and star Scarlett Johansson has since sued Disney over the hybrid release for what she says is a breach of her contract. The movie is now on track to be one of Marvel's lowest grossing films. 

With the pandemic continuing, it's not a surprise that Disney are thinking about their release strategy: especially as Venom 2 has recently been delayed by just over a month.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will release this September 3. Until then, check out how to watch Marvel movies in order to get up to speed on the MCU – and find the best Disney Plus sign-up prices and deals.