top of page
  • Writer's pictureGABRIELA SELVA '24
    • Feb 18, 2021

Releasing Movies After COVID-19

Most of us were disappointed this past 2020 when discovering that the movies we were eagerly anticipating this upcoming year were either postponed or cancelled. Many movie theatres, cinemas, and film festivals were temporarily shut down due to COVID-19. So what happened to all of the movies that were meant to be released during that time, and how have they been released over these past months?


To start back in early March, when the pandemic was first surging in cases, many movie theatres came across a new conflict brought about by pandemic regulations and restrictions. As more news of the virus came about, more and more theatres began to close and plan out what would happen to their movies while they were shut down. Some of the major Hollywood production sites, such as Universal Studios, announced that their upcoming films would soon be available on home entertainment platforms instead of theaters. This has been a successful system in the Global Cinema Industry that allows productions to release their movies in a safe way while still requiring payment for their work. However, even with these home entertainment platforms releasing these upcoming movies, the film industry has still lost over $32 billion because of the pandemic.


It has been almost a year now since most movie theatres began to shut down in 2020, and many are beginning to reopen again with new safety precautions. For example, AMC Theatres reopened their doors in August of 2020, and Cinemark and Regal began to reopen some of their theatres in certain cities. Some of the safety precautions being enforced by AMC Theatres include wearing masks at all times except for when eating or drinking, reduced auditorium capacities, social distancing, and disinfecting areas found throughout the building. Even with all these safety guidelines put in place, there are still many risks of going to a theatre at this time. So, what are the different entertainment platforms that are streaming new releases at the comfort of your own home?

One of the most successful home streaming platforms is HBO Max, which has all of the new movies released by Warner Bros. available on the same day they are released! This service can be accessed by paying $14.99 per month, but it is worth the price considering the vast variety of movies available instantly.


Disney+ is another streaming service that is $6.99 per month, where old Disney releases and even some newer ones are available once an account is set up. Disney+ also announced in early 2020 that they would be streaming one of Disney’s new movies, Mulan, on their platform for $30 even for their regular subscribers. However, other movies, like Soul, were available to all subscribers with no additional fee.


Netflix even has had some originals released this past year which can be accessed for $8.99 per month with the Basic plan or $11.99 per month with the Premier plan.


Some other popular streaming services with a wide variety of movies to choose from are Hulu ($5.99 per month with ads), Amazon Prime ($12.99 per month), Apple TV+ ($4.99 per month), Showtime ($10.99 per month), and Peacock ($5 per month with ads).


Now that you know how to access many of the movie releases in 2020 and 2021, you may be asking: What are some of these movies? Here is a list of all the movies that were postponed due to Covid and their new release dates. Have fun watching new movies safely!


Sources:



bottom of page