As we head into the Fall, there's a lot of uncertainty surrounding what's going to happen with upcoming theatrical releases. It's certainly possible that another series of release date delays are coming, especially following reports that Venom: Let There Be Carnage could very well be on its way to 2022.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will definitely arrive on September 3, of course, but what about Eternals? That's still on track for a November 5 debut, but there have already been rumblings it could follow Black Widow by premiering simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+'s Premier Access.
According to Vulture, though, a delay isn't completely off the table.
"Among studio sources reached by Vulture, the short-term outlook is that autumn’s big films (such as Dune and Top Gun: Maverick) will most likely stay on their scheduled release dates," the site explains, "although Marvel Studio’s Eternals could be delayed if the 24th MCU entry Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings underperforms at the box office upon its September 3 release."
Tracking for Shang-Chi is strong right now, and Free Guy proved that there are still moviegoers willing to pay to watch a new release when it's only available on the biggest screens possible.
Seeing as Marvel Studios just released the final trailer for Eternals, any sort of delay could be devastating for the movie (especially with the marketing campaign starting to ramp up again). We'll have to wait and see, but something tells us the most likely outcome if things do get worse with the pandemic will be for this Phase 4 movie to head down that Premier Access route for $29.99.
We'll keep you updated.