After months of debate, Disney will release Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as planned in France on November 9 despite the US studio’s threats to send it straight to streaming due to France’s strict windowing laws they call “anti-consumer”.
The studio, however, warns that future blockbusters may be forced to forego releases in French theaters if the studio cannot reach an agreement for a shorter window time before the films air on Disney+.
As it stands, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be available to Disney+ subscribers in France in spring 2024, 17 months after its theatrical release.
Disney has not minced words on its stance on what it sees as France’s antiquated windowing system. The company said in a statement: “As we have stated before, we believe the chronology is anti-consumer and puts all studios at increased risk for piracy, which is why the majority of the stakeholders agree that it needs to be completely revised. We will remain actively engaged in the upcoming meetings and we will work closely with the CNC, the Ministry of Culture and the various other stakeholders in order to try and find a quick and equitable solution for all parties. In the meantime, we will continue to make future release decisions on a film-by-film basis.”
In early October, the CNC hosted a group of around 50 executives from the US streamers and local networks and producers to begin a new phase of renegotiations, the next step to the agreement made in January, notably signed only by Netflix which negotiated a 15-month window. Although Disney+ shunned the agreement, it still secured a 17-month window for its releases, down from the previous 36 months.
No contracts were signed at the October meeting but the groups agreed to continue to seek a solution and will meet again at the end of November and then at the end of January with the aim of securing a deal to run through 2024. The CNC’s deputy CEO Olivier Henrard told Screen the meetings are meant “to launch discussions, not for signing any contractual agreements. The aim is to create a calendar to continue the negotiations moving forward and bring all of the concerned parties together to reach a peaceful conclusion”.
For now, Disney will release its titles on a “film-by-film basis”. While Black Panther: Wakanda Forever now has the greenlight for its November release, the studio opted to bypass theatrical release entirely for animated feature Strange World in France, sending it directly to Disney+.
Disney has been publicly debating whether or not to release Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in French cinemas, a move the presidents of France’s free-to-air networks TF1, M6 and France Televisions called “blackmail” and a threat to “the vitality of French cinema” in a strongly worded open letter in Le Monde last month.
Currently, after theatrical release, films can be released on DVD and pay-per-view after four months; on Canal+ and other pay TV channels after six months; 15 months for Netflix; 17 months for other SVoD platforms such as Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video; 22 months for the free broadcasters (France 2, France 3, TF1, M6); and 36 months for the free broadcasters’ SVoD platforms.
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