After being delayed three times from its original May 1st, 2020 release date, Marvel’s Black Widow is finally coming out on Friday, July 9th, 2021.
However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scarlett Johansson-led superhero flick is getting a rather unique simultaneous Disney+/theatrical release.
This means that Canadians will be able to watch the film in theatres where permitted or on Disney+ with a $34.99 ‘Premier Access’ fee. For the uninitiated, Premier Access is a program through which Disney has offered several films on Disney+ on day one through a one-time $34.99 fee. This charge is required on top of an active Disney+ subscription.
That said, Canadians can wait until October 6th for Black Widow to become available to all Disney+ subscribers, no Premier Access fee required. The Disney+ offering is no doubt especially welcome in Ontario and Manitoba, where indoor theatres remain closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Notably, Black Widow is the first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in two years, following July 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home. Instead, this year has so far seen the debut of Marvel’s first three big-budget Disney+ original series: WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and the ongoing Loki.
Set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, Black Widow follows Natasha Romanoff as she gets caught up in a dangerous conspiracy tied to her dark past.
The film was directed by Cate Shortland (Berlin Syndrome) and co-stars Florence Pugh (Midsommar), Rachel Weisz (The Favourite), David Harbour (Stranger Things) and O. T. Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale).
Image credit: Marvel Studios
