Mulan, Fast & Furious 9, A Quiet Place II releases postponed, Latest Movies News - The New Paper
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Mulan, Fast & Furious 9, A Quiet Place II releases postponed

LOS ANGELES – The releases of The Walt Disney Co's epic action movie Mulan and Universal Pictures’ ninth blockbuster Fast And Furious film were postponed on Thursday as Hollywood scrambled to adjust to the worldwide spread of coronavirus.

Disney had held a red carpet premiere on Monday to promote Mulan and said at the time that the film would be released in the US as planned on March 27.

But on Thursday, as US authorities urged against large gatherings and took other steps to stop the coronavirus spread, Disney said it had decided “out of an abundance of caution” to postpone the debut of Mulan as well as April releases The New Mutants and Antlers.

“We truly believe in the moviegoing experience, and we are looking at new potential 2020 release dates to be announced at a later date,” a Disney spokesman said.

Fast & Furious 9 was also expected to be one of the biggest hits of Hollywood’s summer blockbuster season after its planned global rollout starting on May 22.

The movie starring Vin Diesel is now scheduled to hit theatres on April 2, 2021.

Universal, owned by Comcast Corp, did not give a reason but the decision followed delays in the releases of several other Hollywood films due to global entertainment disruptions caused by the coronavirus.

The virus has closed movie theatres in China, Italy and many other nations, while a ban on travel from Europe to the US announced by President Donald Trump on Wednesday is seen likely to curtail red carpets and other promotional events for movies and stars.

US movie theatres remained open as of Thursday afternoon.

But an industry source said operators may close larger theatres in some areas depending on advice from local authorities.

Paramount Pictures, a unit of ViacomCBS Inc, also indefinitely delayed the release of A Quiet Place Part II, the sequel to the 2018 sleeper thriller, which was due to start its international rollout in movie theatres on March 18.

“Due to the ever-changing circumstances of what’s going on in the world around us, now is clearly not the right time to do that,” actor-writer-director John Krasinski said in a posting on his Instagram account.
He did not say when the film would be released.

“As insanely excited as we are for all of you to see this movie... I’m gonna wait to release the film till we CAN all see it together.” - REUTERS

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