Update: September 23, 2020: We updated this post with the official word from Disney that the release date of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie Black Widow will be postponed again due to ongoing delays in coronavirus movies. The new release date for theaters is May 7th, 2021. Another Marvel movie, Eternals, has also been postponed to November 5th, 2021.
The coronavirus outbreak is just around the corner and is affecting everyday life for almost everyone. That includes the film industry. A number of upcoming major film releases have announced long delays in their release plans. In addition, most of the cinemas are closed for a few months and are just reopening. What specific delays in coronavirus movies can you expect? Which films should you watch in their place? While nothing is going to be as exciting as watching a new movie, of course, there are plenty of decent similar (or prequel) movies you might want to see while you wait!
1. A quiet place part II
The highly anticipated sequel to his 2018 hit Monster Invasion by writer and director John Krasinski was due out on March 20th. Now, however, you can expect to see the film in theaters on April 23, 2021.
Streaming alternativesIt's not the same, but now might be a good time to see the first again. The original film A Quiet Place can currently be streamed by Amazon Prime Video subscribers. You can also see Krasinski himself playing Tom Clancy's action hero Jack Ryan in the Amazon Prime series of the same name.
2. Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
The CGI live-action sequel to the surprising adaptation of the classic children's book from 2018 should be released on April 3rd. Now the film won't be released until January 15, 2021.
Streaming alternativesWhile Peter Rabbit's original film isn't available on any streaming service, there is another GCI live-action rabbit-themed film, Hop, available on Netflix.
3. No time to die
The 25th official James Bond film and the fifth starring Daniel Craig have also been postponed more than once. It was supposed to be released in the US on April 10, but instead it was the first of the biggest delays in coronavirus movies. 007 won't return until November 20, 2020.
Streaming alternativeYou can watch Daniel Craig James Bond's first film, Casino Royale, on Netflix.
4. Antlers
This horror film about a creature attacking the citizens of an Oregon city was due to hit theaters on April 17th. The new release date for the film is February 19, 2021.
Streaming alternativeYou can now stream Hostiles, the 2017 western film by Antlers director Scott Cooper, on Netflix.
5. Fast 9
The hugely popular, over-the-top auto-themed spy thriller film series was due to release its ninth installment on May 22nd. Now the film won't be released until April 2021.
Streaming alternativeWhen you sign up for HBO Max, you can watch Fast Five via streaming.
6. Black widow
The next film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Scarlett Johansson as a seasoned super spy was not released on May 1st as announced. It will now hit theaters over a year later, on May 7, 2021.
Streaming alternativeDisney Plus has all of the previous MCU films starring Black Widow, starting with her first appearance in Iron Man 2.
7th spiral
This is a reinterpretation of the Saw franchise starring Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson. It hit theaters on May 15 but was pushed back indefinitely due to a delay in the coronavirus movie.
Streaming alternativeCheck out the first film in the series, Saw, on Cinemax.
8. Minions 2
The next film in the CGI animation series should hit theaters on July 3rd. However, that delay in the coronavirus film was due to the outbreak that resulted in animation studio Illumination finalizing the film. The release is now planned for July 2, 2021.
Streaming alternativeYou can now rent the first Minions movie through Amazon Prime Video.
9. Wonder Woman 1984
Warner Bros. has pushed back the sequel to the hit superhero film DC Comics 2017. Originally set for June 5, 2020, the new release date is currently December 25, 2020.
Streaming alternativeYou are now ready to stream the first Wonder Woman movie on HBO Max.
10. soul
Disney's latest film from the Pixar studio revolves around a middle school tape teacher who unexpectedly finds his soul removed from his body. The film was supposed to be in theaters on June 19, but will now be in theaters on November 20.
Streaming alternativePixar's latest film, Onward, is available now on Disney Plus.
11. Morbius
This Spider-Man spin-off film, starring Jared Leto as the man who becomes a vampire-like creature, was due to be released on July 31, 2020. It should now be published on March 19, 2021.
Streaming alternativeStarz has another Spider-Man spin-off film, Venom, available for streaming.
12. Ghostbusters: Afterlife
The final attempt to restart the Ghostbusters horror comedy series should be released on July 10, 2020. The release is now planned for March 5, 2021.
Streaming alternativeRent the original and still fun Ghostbusters from 1984 through Amazon Prime Video now
13. Top Gun: Maverick
There will be a delay when you get back into the danger zone. The long-awaited sequel to the naval aviation action film Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise, is added to the list of delays for coronavirus films. Originally planned for June 24th, it will now be released on July 2nd, 2021.
Streaming alternativeYou can rent the original 1986 film Top Gun through Amazon Prime Video.
14. Free guy
This is the next big movie with Ryan Reynolds. He plays an NPC in an open world video game who becomes aware that he is in a game. Originally scheduled for release on July 3rd, it is now due on December 11th.
Streaming alternativeYou can now watch Reynolds' last major film, the action film 6 Underground, on Netflix.
15. Jungle cruise
Based on the Disney theme park ride, this film starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. Originally slated for release on July 24th, it was pushed back over a year and will now hit theaters on July 30th, 2021.
Streaming alternativeDisney Plus has four out of five Pirates of the Caribbean films based on another popular ride through a theme park. You can see the first one now at the link below.
16. The Eternals
Since Black Widow is now taking the May 7, 2021 release date from another MCU film, The Eternals, that film starring Angelina Jolie has also been postponed to November 5, 2021.
Streaming alternativeYou can now watch another cosmic MCU movie, Guardians of the Galaxy, on Disney Plus.
17. The Batman
The highly anticipated film reboot of the Dark Knight Detective was in the middle of production as the coronavirus outbreak worsened. Now the film with Robert Pattinson has ceased production and its release date has been postponed from June 25, 2021 to October 1, 2021.
Streaming alternativeYou can see Batman Begins, the first film in the Christopher Nolan-Christian Bale Batman trilogy, on HBO Max.
18. Candyman
The reboot of the horror franchise, written and executive produced by Get Out's Jordan Peele, was due to be released on June 12th. The coronavirus threat has resulted in Universal delaying its release to sometime in 2021.
Streaming alternativeThe original 1992 Candyman film can be rented or purchased through Amazon Prime Video.
19. The King's Man
This is the third film in the Kingsman spy film franchise. This is actually a World War I prequel where we see the origins of the Kingsman spy group. After a few delays, one due to the corona virus, the film is now set to hit cinemas on February 12, 2021.
Streaming alternativeThe original from Kingsman: The Secret Service is available to rent or buy from Amazon Prime Video.
20/21. Halloween Kills / Halloween Ends
The sequel / restart of the long-running Halloween slasher horror franchise starring Jamie Lee Curtis in 2018 is getting two sequels. The first, Halloween Kills, was due out on October 16, 2020. Universal is now delaying this film until October 15, 2021. The last film, Halloween Ends, was due on that date but will now be released a year later on October 14, 2021.
Streaming alternativeThe original 1978 Halloween is available now on the Shudder streaming service.
22/23. Avatar 2 and 3
James Cameron made the second and third films of his Avatar science fiction series in a row. However, both have fallen victim to the coronavirus movie outbreak. Avatar 2, originally planned for December. 17, 2021 will now be released on December 16, 2022. Avatar 3, which is scheduled to release on December 22, 2023, is now not expected until December 20, 2024.
Streaming alternativeThe original 2009 Avatar is available now on the Disney Plus streaming service.
24/25/26. - New Star Wars trilogy
The next Star Wars theatrical trilogy will not be released due to the coronavirus film delaying the dates for this unfilmed series of films. The first of these films, which was originally due on December 16, 2022, will now be released on December 22, 2023. The second film was postponed from December 20, 2024 to December. 19, 2025. Finally, the third film, due to be released on December 18, 2026, has been postponed until December 17, 2027.
Streaming alternativeOf course, all previous Star Wars live-action films are now available on the Disney Plus streaming service.
Further delays in coronavirus films coming soon?
While the big theater chains like AMC, Regal, and Cinemark have started opening theaters in many parts of the US, some cities and states have ordered theaters to remain closed. This includes New York, North Carolina, and most of California with most of the country's theaters. As a result, we could still see more film delays in the coming months as some studios may not want to open their films without the support of the major theatrical locations.
In addition, other films produced for release during 2020 or 2021 have also ceased production. It is likely that some of their release dates will change as well. We'll definitely update this post to keep you updated.