The Walt Disney Company has announced that on July 9, the new movie Black Widow will be released in theaters and on Disney+ for an additional charge as part of their Premier Access model. Despite the base $8 monthly price, this model makes it such that Disney films given a theatrical release can be purchased for an extra $30. Unlike other streaming services, there is no specific window of time before the access to the movie expires when an individual pays to watch a Premier Access movie. It has been made clear by the Walt Disney Company that a Premier Access movie will remain viewable for however long the subscriber continues to pay for the Disney+ service.

There has been no indication made as to the amount of time it will take for Black Widow to become a part of the Disney+ baseline streaming service. However, two other movies that will be a part of the Premier Access club, Cruella and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and have both been confirmed to eventually be available for all subscribers. Black Widow will be the first Marvel movie to go to theaters since Spider-Man: Homecoming was released in July 2019. In establishing the Premier Access system, the Walt Disney Company wanted to ensure that the movie would be available to those who are not comfortable entering a movie theater.

With the vaccination rate rising, the film industry has been optimistic about the increasing number of open theaters, but there still needs to be a fallback option. Black Widow’s hybrid release reinforces the possibility that this remote alternative may remain available even after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Princeton Day School students are also invested in this matter, as freshman Logan Harrison stated that “This Premier Access service would be a nice option for those die-hard Marvel fans who might not be able to go to theaters.” She added, “To be able to own this movie for as long as you subscribe is definitely a good deal, especially because the price of viewing the movie in the theater could end up being larger than the thirty dollar charge.” Additionally, senior Hayden Masia, an avid Marvel fan, stated that “I personally would rather see the movie in theaters, but the Premier Access option does make sense for those who can’t go to theaters.” Critics generally agree, with many stating that the Walt Disney Company is appropriately responding to the pandemic and that the Premier Access option is not only a good investment for the company but also its millions of fans worldwide.