Editor's Note: Disney Plus announced that Eternals will appear on January 12, 2022 The original text of this article is as follows

The box office success of "Shang - The Legend of Ki and the 10 Rings" is all great for the cast and crew, Marvel and Disney, the film industry, and dedicated moviegoers One thing is not good It's the home viewing experience that flourished during the pandemic

Disney recently confirmed that the remainder of the movies coming out in 2021 will have exclusive theatrical releases This includes the next Marvel film, "Eternals," which will not have a same-day release, including a Disney Plus Premiere Access debut Instead, it will be released on November 5 and will be shown on the big screen for at least 45 days before it becomes available for streaming on Disney Plus and other digital platforms

In its announcement, Disney also revealed that the animated musical "Encanto" will open in theaters on November 24 and will be available for streaming on Disney Plus beginning December 24 after a 30-day theatrical run

The remaining five Disney films this year will have a minimum 45-day release: "The Last Duel" (October 15), "Ron's Gone Wrong" (October 22), "Eternals" (November 5), "West Side Story" (December 10), "The King's Man" (December 22)

Update: Eternals will appear on Disney Plus on January 12, 2022 The rest of this article will proceed as originally written

So when will Eternals appear on Disney Plus? The answer is complicated

First, according to a Disney statement, "Eternals" will be in theaters for a minimum of 45 days If the film is available shortly after that window, the earliest release date for streaming is December 20

Second, Disney very clearly points out that Encanto will be streaming in 30 days on Disney Plus for subscribers Similar details are not provided for Eternals or the other films on the list

Once Eternals finishes its theatrical run, it may be available on Disney Plus as a free movie for subscribers Perhaps it will be a Disney Plus Premier Access title, cheaper than $30 - say $1999 Or it might be streamed on all digital platforms, including Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play, at the latter price

It will be interesting to see what Disney does with Shang-Chi when its 45-day theatrical run ends

Speaking of interesting, Disney CEO Bob Chapek described "Shang-Chi" as "an interesting experiment" His words provoked some backlash, and lead actor Sim Liu clammed up But the film became a test case for Disney as it contemplated the future of theatrical release and home streaming And the box office success of Shang - CHI clearly made an impact

Earlier this year, Disney made most of its films available day-and-date in theaters and on Disney Plus Such was the case with the previous Marvel film, "Black Widow"

However, the box office for "Black Widow" was somewhat disappointing With Shang - CHI, Disney opted for an exclusive theatrical release The result was a record Labor Day weekend box office of $755 million, which was down 525% in its second weekend

Compare this to the 678% decline for The Black Widow, which showed that streaming had a negative impact on box office receipts

With vaccinations on the rise and the near elimination of restrictions across the country, Disney has likely done the math and decided to move away from its previous streaming strategy (especially with respect to the reported $200 million budget of "Eternals") While this is good news for theater chains, it is not so for those who enjoy watching at home, where bathroom breaks are easier to get and snacks are cheaper

Of course, streaming is not going away; the 45-day theatrical run is still shorter than Before Times (typically three months) Therefore, it will come in handy even if you have invested in an 85-inch TV, which is ideal for your home setup