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Disney's 'Mulan' to Skip Most Movie Theaters for Streaming

This image released by Disney shows Yifei Liu in the title role of ‘Mulan.’ (AP)
This image released by Disney shows Yifei Liu in the title role of ‘Mulan.’ (AP)
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Disney's 'Mulan' to Skip Most Movie Theaters for Streaming

This image released by Disney shows Yifei Liu in the title role of ‘Mulan.’ (AP)
This image released by Disney shows Yifei Liu in the title role of ‘Mulan.’ (AP)

Walt Disney Co’s live-action epic “Mulan” will skip most of the world’s movie theaters and go directly to the company’s streaming platform in September, the media giant said on Tuesday.

US subscribers to Disney+ will need to pay $30 to stream “Mulan” in their homes, Disney Chief Executive Bob Chapek said on a call with investors after the company reported quarterly earnings.

The cost will vary slightly in other countries including Canada, Australia and New Zealand and in parts of Western Europe, Chapek said.

The decision came amid uncertainty about when big movie theater chains in the United States will be able to reopen after being shuttered since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Mulan” will be released Sept. 4, Chapek added.

The movie, reported to have cost $200 million to produce, is a remake of an animated Disney classic about a female Chinese warrior and stars Yifei Liu in the title role.

Disney’s shift on “Mulan” followed a deal in July between Comcast Corp’s Universal Pictures and cinema chain AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc to allow the studio to release films directly to consumers after just three weeks in theaters, down from the average three months.

Chapek said the plan for “Mulan” represented a one-time shift amid the pandemic and did not signal a change to Disney’s long-term film strategy.

“Mulan” had been scheduled to reach theaters in March, but its release has been postponed several times as many cinemas remain closed. Most recently, it was set to debut Aug. 21, and theater operators had hoped it would help spark a late-summer rebound for movie-going.

Last month, Disney said it was postponing the debut of “Mulan” indefinitely while it assessed its options.

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How Lewis Hamilton and Apple Brought F1 Racing to the Movie Screen 

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari waves to the crowd on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Getty Images/AFP)
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari waves to the crowd on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Getty Images/AFP)
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How Lewis Hamilton and Apple Brought F1 Racing to the Movie Screen 

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari waves to the crowd on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Getty Images/AFP)
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari waves to the crowd on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Getty Images/AFP)

Racing legend Lewis Hamilton, a producer on an upcoming movie starring Brad Pitt as a fictional Formula 1 driver, wanted the film to show the reality of what it looks, feels and sounds like to speed around a track at 200 miles per hour.

To avoid having Apple's "F1 The Movie" seem "faked" by Hollywood, Hamilton provided input on details such as when drivers should brake or shift gears. The film will be released in theaters by Warner Bros on June 27.

"I really wanted to make sure the authenticity was there, and it worked for both the younger and the older audience, and then making sure that the racing was true to what it is," Hamilton said in an interview with Reuters Television.

"All the other drivers, all the teams, are relying on me to make sure that it does," the seven-time world champion added.

In the movie, Pitt plays a driver who comes out of retirement to mentor a young hotshot portrayed by Damson Idris. Co-stars include Javier Bardem and Kerry Condon.

Portions of the film were shot during real-life F1 events in Abu Dhabi, Mexico City and other Grand Prix stops. The filmmakers would shoot on the tracks during short breaks in the races. Pitt and Idris drove themselves in professional race cars at high speeds.

Before filming started, Hamilton said he met with Pitt at a racetrack in Los Angeles so he could size up the actor's driving skills.

"I really wanted to see, can you actually drive?" Hamilton said. A longtime motorcycle rider and racing fan, Pitt showed a baseline ability at that point that made Hamilton comfortable.

"He already had the knack," Hamilton said, which the actor further developed through weeks of intense training. "He really went in deep," Hamilton said.

"F1" was directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the team that put together the thrilling fighter-jet scenes in 2022 blockbuster film "Top Gun: Maverick."

For "F1," they needed new cameras that would work in race cars, which can be slowed down by extra weight.

Producing partner Apple, which began releasing movies in 2019, was able to help.

The company used some of its iPhone technology to adapt a camera system typically used in real F1 cars during TV broadcasts. The hardware looked like a traditional F1 camera but delivered the high-resolution video that the filmmakers wanted for the big screen.

"This movie was just a great example of putting the whole of the company behind a movie," Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said. "We designed the camera that went into the car to capture the incredible driving experience. It makes you feel like you're actually sitting in the car and experiencing what Brad is experiencing."

Cook said he felt the movie showcased the athleticism required to rise to the elite ranks of F1 driving. Hamilton said he had encouraged more examples of the sport's physical challenges. Drivers can lose five or 10 pounds, he said, from the exertion during a race.

"You have to be able to show that part of it. You're training. You're conditioning your body," Hamilton said. "The car, it beats you up."