Frozen 2 will now be available for streaming on Disney+ earlier than previously scheduled, the Walt Disney Company has announced. Disney announced on Friday that Frozen 2 will be available for streaming on Disney+ in the U.S. on Sunday, March 15.
The animated movie will be available for streaming in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands on Tuesday, March 17.
These dates are three months earlier than previously scheduled.
According to the statement by The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek:
“Frozen 2 has captivated audiences around the world through its powerful themes of perseverance and the importance of family, messages that are incredibly relevant during this time, and we are pleased to be able to share this heartwarming story early with our Disney+ subscribers to enjoy at home on any device.”
Frozen 2 to provide family-friendly entertainment during coronavirus shutdown
According to the statement by Disney, Frozen 2 is being made available on Disney+ earlier than scheduled to surprise “families with some fun and joy during this challenging period.”
Surprise! #Frozen2 is coming early to #DisneyPlus. Start streaming this Sunday. pic.twitter.com/YjcpWvu6P5
— Disney (@Disney) March 14, 2020
The release did not specifically mention the coronavirus outbreak. But the comment about “surprising families with some fun and joy during this challenging period” was generally understood to mean that Disney is making Frozen 2 available for streaming ahead of schedule to provide family-friendly entertainment for families staying at home during the general shutdown of schools and economic activities amid the coronavirus outbreak.
It comes after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency to fight the coronavirus spread on Friday.
Frozen 2 is the highest-grossing animated movie ever
Frozen 2 premiered in theaters across the U.S. on November 22, 2019.
The movie raked in more than $1.4 billion in the box office worldwide, beating Frozen ($1.281 billion) and Incredibles 2 ($1.243 billion) to become the highest-grossing animated movie ever.
It is being anticipated that the decision by Disney to make Frozen 2 available three months ahead of schedule could prompt other streaming services to consider how to take advantage of people staying at home after the declaration of a national emergency in response to the coronavirus epidemic.
Disney delays new releases amid coronavirus outbreak
Meanwhile, Disney has postponed some upcoming new releases in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Dinsey’s live-action remake of Mulan and other Disney movies set to hit theaters in March and April — including The New Mutants and Antlers — have been delayed.
Mulan was originally scheduled to premiere on March 27, The New Mutants, April 3, and Antlers, April 17.
The delays became necessary as a result of public health advisories on social distancing and restrictions on gatherings at places, such as cinemas, event halls, rallies, and nightclubs. Many movie theaters are expected to shut down in the coming weeks.
Monsters and Critics reported that other movies that have been delayed amid the coronavirus epidemic include Peter Rabbit II, Fast & Furious 9, A Quiet Place 2, and the James Bond film No Time To Die.