Production halts throughout the entertainment industry have left the futures of many TV shows and movies uncertain, but Disney's new CEO Bob Chapek has some encouraging words for Disney+ subscribers. The home of The Mandalorian, upcoming live-action Marvel shows, and so much more isn't going to run out of original content to release just because filming currently isn't happening.
Bob Chapek explained why the filming halts won't bring Disney+ releases to a standstill, saying this to CNBC (via Deadline):
We have a certain amount of inventory for Disney+ that is fueling the machine. Pre-production –the development phase– can still happen during these times of lockdown, post-production can still happen.
Development on new projects and new seasons of TV shows can happen remotely, and production teams can apparently still work on post- as well. Fortunately, Bob Chapek came out and specifically addressed a question that has undoubtedly been on many Star Wars fans' minds: what about The Mandalorian Season 2?
Filming on the second season of The Mandalorian was finished by early March, but The Mandalorian is an effects-heavy show. Other TV shows, ranging from Supernatural on The CW to The Walking Dead on AMC, weren't able to complete their their current seasons due to unfinished effects despite filming already coming to an end.
Bob Chapek cleared the air about the status of The Mandalorian Season 2, saying this:
[W]e’ve been in post. They’ll no delays on Mandalorian.
Well, Disney may have hit some rough patches with its parks and release dates, butf Star Wars fans don't have to worry that The Mandalorian will miss its intended October premiere. Considering the popularity of the show (and of course Baby Yoda), a Mandalorian delay might have made some Disney+ subscribers pretty unhappy. Disney is rolling with the punches of the production halts, and that means Mando and Baby Yoda back on time.
Disney+ has actually already released some new TV projects in the months since the shutdowns began, including Be Our Chef, Prop Culture, and Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian. Star Wars: The Clone Wars released new episodes on a weekly basis until the May 4 finale, and Love, Victor is scheduled for a June premiere. The Disney streamer has had fewer film offerings, but thanks to one movie switching from a theatrical release to a Disney+ debut, Artemis Fowl will be available streaming on Friday, June 12.
It's also worth noting that Disney+'s Falcon and the Winter Soldier MCU series may soon be able to start filming again, although only time will tell if it will still be able to make its intended August 2020 premiere date. WandaVision was slated for a December 2020 release. For now, the future of some of the biggest planned Disney+ series may be uncertain, but at least viewers can count on Disney+ not running out of content and not stopping production just because filming can't begin.
Of course, Disney+ boasts plenty of content to keep even the most diehard Disney fans busy between new releases. Between the movies and TV shows of Star Wars, decades of episodes of The Simpsons, many classic Disney movies, and more already available streaming, Disney+ is a solid source of entertainment. If, however, you're in the market for some non-Disney options, be sure to check out our 2020 summer premiere schedule.
