Disney delays 'Avatar' and 'Star Wars' films, postpones 'Mulan’ indefinitely

Walt Disney Co on Thursday made a shocking announcement to postpone the debut of its movie 'Mulan' indefinitely, dealing a new blow to theater operators that were counting on the live-action epic to help attract audiences amid Covid-19 pandemic.

The film was scheduled to hit theaters in March but its release has been postponed several times as many cinemas remain closed. 'Mulan' had most recently been set to debut on August 21 .

Disney also said it had postponed the next film installments from two of its biggest franchises, 'Avatar' and 'Star Wars', by one year as coronavirus has disrupted production.

The "Avatar" sequel is now set to debut in theaters in December 2022, and the next "Star Wars" movie in December 2023.

"It’s become clear that nothing can be set in stone when it comes to how we release films during this global health crisis," a Disney representative said. "Today that means pausing our release plans for 'Mulan' as we assess how we can most effectively bring this film to audiences around the world."

The 'Mulan' delay follows Warner Bros decision to postpone the August release of Christopher Nolan thriller 'Tenet'. The two films were seen as theaters' best chance to salvage part of the lucrative summer season.