Don’t say Disney isn’t a practitioner of theatrical windows: Their $821M-plus grossing Marvel Studios hit Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will finally land on Disney on Feb. 1, 82 days after its U.S. theatrical release. The movie opened on Nov. 11 to a stateside gross of $181.3M, $331.6M WW.
While the previous Bob Chapek-led era of Disney collapsed windows on Marvel’s Black Widow, with a theatrical day-and-date release on Disney+ (though had a paid tier for subscribers) during the pandemic in 2021, the studio backed off on such practices on future Marvel titles after a legal entanglement with that pic’s star Scarlett Johansson.
Since then, Marvel Studios movies have had lengthy windows: Thor: Love and Thunder hit Disney+ last year on Sept. 8, 63 days after being in theaters. When that Taika Waititi-directed sequel landed on Disney+ it had already made $341.2M in theaters. The pic would go on to make another $2M in its simultaneous theatrical and Disney+ run for a final domestic take of $343.2M. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness debuted on Disney+ on June 22 after a 48-day theatrical run (when it had amassed at that point in time $408M U.S. in what was a total B.O. run of $411.3M).
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will join 16 other Marvel Cinematic Universe movies now streaming in IMAX Enhanced on Disney+, which gives subscribers more picture with an expanded aspect ratio for an immersive viewing experience at home.
Wakanda Forever is up for two Golden Globes for Best Supporting Actress for Angela Bassett and Rihanna’s original song “Lift Me Up”.