Disney’s already-delayed Artemis Fowl, the live-action adaptation of Eoin Cofler’s young adult spy-fantasy novel series, will be skipping theaters entirely in favor of a streaming release on Disney+. The movie was originally scheduled to premiere on May 29, the replacement for its original scheduled release of August 9, 2019.
This news comes alongside a massive shift in the scheduled release dates of the upcoming MCU Phase 4 movies and other upcoming Disney projects like Mulan, Jungle Cruise, and West Side Story.
The story of a preteen genius-turned-super-spy, Artemis Fowl stars Ferdia Shaw, Colin Farrell, Josh Gad, and Lara McDonnell. Though it doesn’t follow the novel series exactly, Cofler told Polygon that he supports the changes made wholeheartedly. He said, “I think inclusivity is a wonderful thing, and I am all for switches and changes if it means the best person gets the job. Sometimes a character is so imprinted on the public consciousness that a significant change can be confusing, but most characters can take it without disturbing the narrative in a negative way.”
Artemis Fowl will be the first major Disney release to substitute a theatrical release for a streaming one, but certainly not the first blockbuster to be rushed to Disney+ in light of the global COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Frozen 2 and Pixar’s latest, Onward, were both given expedited home releases in light of social distancing measures and theater closures.
There is no date set for Artemis Fowl’s Disney+ premiere.
