Right-o. Let's talk about Mulan on Disney Plus.
As a result of Corona virus and - more precisely - Cinemas closed indefinitelyDisney announced that Mulan, one of its upcoming Tentpole summer releases, would be available for streaming on Disney Plus.
Just a catch. A $ 30 catch.
At this point, we still don't have 100% confirmation that a Disney Plus subscription is required for this $ 30 cost, but regardless ... It's a big question. As a result, the online response was negative. And that's 100% fair. For many reasons.
There is much to fear. Film rental, when released as a rental, traditionally doesn't cost nearly $ 30. In most situations, you can either buy and own a digital copy of a movie for that price, or buy a 4K Blu-ray.
Also, more than the cost of almost every movie ticket is outside of super premium movie services like "Gold Class" in Australia. And considering that Disney didn't set the precedent for Onward's free release for its Disney Plus service until February of this year, it is a difficult pill to swallow.
But regardless of these compelling arguments, I will gladly Pay $ 30 to see Mulan take off. I would also like to pay $ 30 to see Black widow or principle or Wonder Woman 1984. I would pay $ 30 as long as they let me. I would pay $ 30 if the cinemas reopened and life returned to normal.
The main reason for this: I am married, I have two children. In addition to the logistical nightmare of accompanying two young children to a cinema - parking, navigating the mall, buying snacks, arguing about who gets what - a visit to the cinema can cost me almost $ 100.
The idea of sitting back, making my own popcorn, putting the kids in their pajamas, and relaxing on my comfortable couch to watch a movie seems like a dream scenario in comparison. I can easily pause when I have to take the youngest to the toilet, without stress, when my children make too much noise, without fear of the fact that my children are stuffing a magnum and a full bag of cones in their sugar-laden drops. A perfect Saturday night in.
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I understand that your mileage may vary. You couldn't have children. In the US, the price of cinema tickets varies widely. So you can to have Children, but the cinema is still a cheap evening for you. If, like me, you like going to the movies alone, the idea of paying $ 30 for one Rental will undoubtedly seem exorbitant, but for my particular situation it's a hell of a deal.
And here is the situation, as clearly as I can say: do you want films or not? Mulan had a production budget of $ 200 million and an estimated marketing budget of half that amount. It's hard to feel sorry for a mega-company, especially a stranglehold on entertainment like Disney, but if you spend $ 300 million as an investment, you want some of it back.
I like films and I want people to continue making films. Aside from Netflix, it is not realistic to expect companies like Disney to make expensive bets like Mulan or Captain Marvel 2 and just throw them on streaming services for free. $ 30 may not be the right price, but time will tell. If $ 30 is what people are willing to pay (and I'm very willing to pay), that's the price. If not, the price will almost certainly drop.
I guess it doesn't have to. Take the UFC. To purchase a UFC PPV event like the upcoming UFC 252, you not only need to subscribe to ESPN + for $ 5 a month, but also pay an additional $ 65. This is a live sporting event, but I would argue that films are not that different.
Large tentpole releases - especially films like war of stars or Avengers - are cultural events that are part of the broader discourse to the point where we almost consume them like sports. We discuss them in real time, we argue about them, create silly Twitter threads about them. Oddly enough, since films like Wonder Woman 1984 and Tenet saw delay for delay, I missed the online discussion about big, new film releases.
Every Marvel film and TV show that appears in phase 4 (and beyond)
When the cinemas inevitably open again, I go back. Nothing can replace the cinematic experience, but when cinemas are a thing again, I just want the choice. And frankly, I'm privileged enough to have that choice. What about those who have no choice? What about those who can't even make it to the cinema for a variety of reasons? Is it wrong to offer alternative ways to consume brand new films?
Again, your mileage may vary, but I hope that Mulan's Disney Plus version is successful. I want to watch brand new films from the comfort of my home and not have to wait until these films are no longer relevant.
