Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and around the world, Disney opted to release its 2020 Mulan remake on its streaming service Disney+ rather than in theaters in certain territories. This release cost $30, and allows fans to watch the movie from the comfort of their home.
This release has prompted some criticism and some praise. Today we’re going to discuss this release strategy and its benefits and cons to decide whether or not it should continue to be used in the future. There’s plenty to discuss, so let’s get right into it.
Love It: COVID
Of course, the reason that this release strategy was adopted is due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many theaters around the world still aren’t open, and if they are, people don’t necessarily want to go to them and risk contracting the virus. The Disney+ release allows Disney fans to watch the movie from home to be as safe as possible. While the world is in the middle of a pandemic, this was a great choice for Disney to make.
Don’t Love It: The Cost
But $30? Isn’t this a bit excessive? Movie tickets in the US are generally around $10, making Mulan three times the price of admission. Sure, there is the added bonus of being able to keep the movie and watch as many times as you want, and it will become free December, but if you want to watch it once it’s released, it is going to be a very expensive venture.
Love It: It’s Great For Families
While the $30 price is very expensive for one person, it’s actually a fantastic value for families. A family of four can spend around $40 in tickets alone on a trip to the theater, so this is a pretty solid value for them. Considering that much of Disney’s business does come from families, this makes Mulan an ideal purchase for them. Still, if you’re just buying for just one person, $30 is a bit much.
Don’t Love It: We’re Already Paying For Disney+
Another problem with Mulan’s $30 price point is the fact that, if you want to watch it, you have to be subscribed to Disney+, effectively making the price of the film closer to $40 rather than $30. As previously mentioned, this price won’t be as much of a problem once the movie becomes free for all subscribers in December. Either way, the cost to watch this movie is just a bit much, no matter which way you look at it.
Love It: It Isn’t Set In Stone
The nice thing about Premier Access is that the entire thing isn’t set in stone. If this is used for future film releases, the price and structure of the entire concept could be modified.
Knowing Disney, this is pretty unlikely to happen unless they missed their predictions for Mulan purchases. Still, perhaps a lower profile movie could be released through Premier Access for $20, or even $10. If this release method is used again, let’s hope that it is modified by Disney a bit.
Don’t Love It: It Could Get Worse
On the other hand, if Mulan did as well as Disney hoped it would, they could continue to use Premier Access. This could mean more restrictions as well. Perhaps there will be movies that are exclusive to Premier Access forever. This could be a horrible thing for a few reasons that will be discussed a bit later.
Love It: You Get To Keep It Forever
Despite the fact that Mulan will be free eventually, the nice thing about Premier Access is that once you buy the film, you can continue to watch it as many times as you’d like, only needing to purchase it once. This is obviously different from a traditional movie theater run, in which you’d have to purchase multiple tickets if you want to see a movie more than once. This, of course, is a nice benefit until December.
Don’t Love It: Until Dinsey Decides You Don’t
Of course, if Disney ever decides that they want to shut down Disney+ forever, then you’ll have to buy the movie again, making your purchase somewhat null. Of course, it’s very unlikely that Disney will ever decide to shutter its streaming service, but it should be noted that you don’t own Mulan in the way you do a DVD or Blu-Ray film.
Love It: Flexibility
The entire idea of Premier Access could be positive for moviegoers, it might allow them a flexibility that they didn’t have before COVID-19 hit. Disney could continue to use Premier Access in tandem with movie theater releases (they’re likely the only studio that has the clout to force movie theaters to allow this strategy). This would give Disney fans the chance to watch the movie at home or at the theater. More choices for consumers is never a bad thing.
Don’t Love It: The Precedent It Sets
The worst thing about Disney’s Premier Access strategy is that, if it continues, Disney could opt to stop releasing movies to theaters altogether. While this is unlikely, it would cripple the movie industry in a way never before seen. It could end the concept of going to movies as a whole. Disney is the only studio that has the power to make something like this happen, so let’s hope that Premier Access is a temporary solution that will go away when COVID-19 (hopefully) goes away as well.
