Mar 12, 2020

Breaking News: Disney closes all of its theme parks, pulling the release of "Mulan" (updated)

The Walt Disney Company is dealing with the coronavirus outbreak on all fronts. It announced this evening that all Disney theme parks will be closed by this weekend. That includes Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, California, and all six Disney parks in its Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida.

All of its parks will remain closed until at least the end of March.

According to The New York Times, which has a report on the park closures, “Disney also operates roughly 30 hotels at the Florida resort, near Orlando. Those properties will remain open 'until further notice,' the company said. The adjoining Disney Springs shopping and dining area will also remain open.”

Disneyland Paris, where a park maintenance worker has tested positive for coronavirus, will also close this weekend. Disney's four theme parks in Asia are already closed and will remain closed until at least the end of March.

On the film side, Disney has pulled all of its upcoming theatrical releases, including its big-budget live-action remake of the animated feature Mulan. Other upcoming releases that have been postponed are New Mutants and Antlers.

Niki Caro, the director of Mulan, posted a message on her Instagram account about the postponement of the film, which had been scheduled for U.S. release on March 27:

UPDATE (3/13/2020, 3:30pm ET): The Walt Disney Company is suspending production on all its live-action films currently in pre-production or production, according to a report in The Hollywood Reporter. These films include:

UPDATE (3/14/2020, 12:15am ET): The Walt Disney Company announced tonight that Frozen 2 will begin streaming on the Disney+ service in the U.S. this Sunday, March 15. That's less than four months after it came out in theaters, and three months ahead of its previously scheduled streaming launch date.

The company's new CEO, Bob Chapek, said in a statement: “Frozen 2 has captivated audiences around the world through its powerful themes of perseverance and the importance of family, messages that are incredibly relevant during this time, and we are pleased to be able to share this heartwarming story early with our Disney+ subscribers to enjoy at home on any device.”

Internationally, Frozen 2 will be available on Disney+ in Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand on Tuesday, March 17. In the U.S., the film will initially be available in high definition, with Ultra HD video playback available to all subscribers on Tuesday, March 17.