Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania‘s streaming release on Disney+ managed to break a new MCU record.
When Marvel Studios announced that Ant-Man 3 will have an early digital and physical release, it immediately spelled bad news for fans anticipating its eventual Disney+ premiere since a long wait was in the cards.
However, the wait will soon be over as Disney+ confirmed that the MCU threequel will finally premiere on the streaming service on Wednesday, May 17.
Ant-Man 3 Will Make Disney+ History
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania‘s release on Disney+ breaks a frustrating MCU record for the longest theatrical-to-streaming release window for a Marvel Studios movie since Disney+ launched, beating Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
When the film premieres on the House of Mouse’s streaming service on May 17, it will be 89 days since it came to theaters, which is seven more than Black Panther 2’s window (82 days).
The full list of MCU theatrical-to-streaming windows since the launch of the Disney+ can be seen below, with the movies listed in release date order:
Black Widow never made it to the list since the Scarlet Johansson-led MCU movie was released straight to Disney+ Premier Access. Meanwhile, Spider-Man: No Way Home has yet to release on Disney+ due to Sony, not Disney, owning the sequel’s distribution rights.
Ant-Man 3’s Disney+ Delay Could Begin Phase 5 Trend
It’s unfortunate that fans need to wait slightly longer to watch Ant-Man 3 on Disney+, and there’s a strong chance that the trend will continue for other Phase 5 projects.
A past report revealed that Disney could be looking to spread out the streaming debut of big movies, considering the recent leadership change at the top and giving more projects a lengthy theatrical run for box office purposes.
This would mean that the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Marvels will not immediately premiere on Disney+ after the previously mandated 45-day theatrical window. While this development has already happened to other Phase 4 movies, it’s safe to assume that a consistently longer wait for Disney+ subscribers will be in the cards for future Phase 5 MCU movies.
This allows these films to benefit from a longer theatrical run, leading to more box office returns while also attempting to alter some fans’ habits away from waiting until a movie hits Disney+ to see it for the first time.
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is now available to purchase on major digital platforms before being available for free for Disney+ subscribers on Wednesday, May 17.
