‘Black Widow’ release delayed by Disney due to coronavirus

Less than two months before its highly anticipated theatrical release, Marvel‘s Black Widow has officially been postponed worldwide, Disney confirmed on Tuesday.

The Scarlett Johansson-starring film was originally set to hit cinemas across Canada on April 30; due to the growing worldwide threat and concerns surrounding the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, it will now be pushed to a later date.

On March 17, a representative of Disney told Global News that the decision was made “in light of new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines calling for eliminating larger public gatherings for eight weeks in response to COVID-19 and the temporary closure of a number of cinemas.”

The news comes only a day after Cineplex, the nation’s biggest movie theatre franchise, announced that it would be closing all 165 of its locations temporarily until at least April 2 in an attempt to “flatten the curve” and avoid the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Despite Black Widow being a prequel to 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, the Cate Shortland-directed flick has been something diehard fans have been looking forward to, as it was set to be the very first taste of “Phase 4” of the much-beloved Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

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Disney has also postponed the release of The Personal History of David Copperfield — which was initially scheduled to hit theatres on May 8 — and The Woman in the Window (May 15).

The latest trio of delays follows last week’s announcement that Disney would also be postponing the Scott Cooper-directed sci-fi/horror flick, Antlers, Marvel‘s The New Mutants and the highly-anticipated the live-action remake of the 1998 Hua Mulan-inspired animation, Mulan.

As of this writing, Black Widow‘s official release date is still pending.

You can watch the film’s latest trailer in the video above.

2:59 Experts answer viewers’ COVID-19 questions, part 3

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials say the risk is low for Canadians but warn this could change quickly. They caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are asked to self-isolate for 14 days in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. And if you get sick, stay at home.
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