'Mulan' to debut on Disney+: but will the UAE still get a theatrical release?

The live-action remake will now be released on Disney’s streaming platform on September 4

After being delayed several times, Mulan seems to be forgoing a theatrical release in some markets in favour of a digital one.

The live-action remake of the 1998 classic will be released on Disney’s streaming platform, Disney+, on September 4.

However, even if you happen to be a subscriber (the service is not available in the Middle East), you’ll still have to pay an additional $29.99 (Dh110) to watch it.

Disney+ has joined up with OSN in the Middle East, sharing Disney+ Original content on its boxes and streaming service, OSN Streaming. However, it doesn't offer the entire global Disney+ catalogue.

Not having Disney+ in the UAE might be an advantage for local cinemagoers, as Disney has announced that the film will be playing in cinemas in markets where the company's streaming service is unavailable. The National has reached out to OSN to confirm if Mulan will be streamed regionally.

“We thought it was important to find alternative ways to bring this exceptional family-friendly film to them [consumers] in a timely manner,” Disney chief executive Bob Chapek said.

The announcement comes as Disney made its quarterly losses public, reporting that it had a net loss of nearly $5 billion in this year’s third quarter.

The film's digital release may seem to reflect a new distribution model for Disney, but Chapek said that the company is looking at Mulan "as a one-off".

However, he did note that it would be interesting to see how the film would fare on the streaming platform.

Mulan, which stars Liu Yifei in the title role, was originally set to come out in cinemas in March but, as the coronavirus pandemic took hold, the film's release was pushed back several times.

Most recently, it was slated for an August 21 release, but was then taken off the calendar at the end of last month.