Movie theater operators did not mince words in asserting that Disney left money on the table by putting Marvel’s “Black Widow” on Disney Plus on the same day as its theatrical debut.In March, Disney announced that “Black Widow,” among other films, would premiere simultaneously at home and on the big screen because the movie theater industry hadn’t fully recovered from the pandemic.
On July 9, “Black Widow” opened to $80 million in the U.S., setting a new Covid-era record.
Disney padded the film’s global haul by reporting that the Scarlett Johansson-led comic book adventure collected an additional $60 million worldwide on Disney Plus.Ten days after its debut, the National Association of Theatre Owners, the industry’s main lobbying arm, released a fiery statement, alleging that “Black Widow,” what it refers to as such a well-made, well-received, highly anticipated movie, underperformed at the box office and on Disney Plus.
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