Why Disney’s ‘Free Guy’ Will Be on HBO Before It’s on Disney Plus
When Disney announced during its quarterly earnings call in May that “Free Guy” and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” would be the studio’s first exclusive theatrical releases during the Covid pandemic, CEO Bob Chapek said it was based on “recent signs of increased confidence in moviegoing.”
But on Thursday, during the company’s most recent earnings call with Wall Street analysts, Chapek confirmed Disney actually has no choice but to release “Free Guy” in theaters exclusively. The film, starring Ryan Reynolds as a background video game character, is also part of the longstanding output deal between 20th Century Fox and WarnerMedia that calls for Fox’s theatrical releases to have their first pay TV window on HBO.
Fox has had a movie output deal with HBO for 40 years. The most recent extension struck in 2012 — years before Disney acquired 21st Century Fox — extended the partnership through early...
But on Thursday, during the company’s most recent earnings call with Wall Street analysts, Chapek confirmed Disney actually has no choice but to release “Free Guy” in theaters exclusively. The film, starring Ryan Reynolds as a background video game character, is also part of the longstanding output deal between 20th Century Fox and WarnerMedia that calls for Fox’s theatrical releases to have their first pay TV window on HBO.
Fox has had a movie output deal with HBO for 40 years. The most recent extension struck in 2012 — years before Disney acquired 21st Century Fox — extended the partnership through early...
- 8/13/2021
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
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