Pixar’s ‘Soul’ bypasses theaters, will go straight to Christmas streaming

NOW YORK >> The Pixar film “Soul” will skip theaters and instead premiere on Disney+ on Christmas, the Walt Disney Co. announced Thursday, sending one of the fall’s last big movies straight to streaming.

The move, widely expected after the recent exodus of most major upcoming releases, marks one of the final dominos to fall in Hollywood’s disastrous autumn. Following the exit of the James Bond film “No Time to Die” from November, the next big movie on the calendar is Warner Bros.’ “Wonder Woman 1984,” currently set for Dec. 25.

The successive delays of the film industry’s would-be blockbusters has only made the dire circumstances of movie theaters more acute. Earlier this week, Cinemark said it would again shutter the U.S. and U.K. locations of its Regal cinemas, the country’s second-largest theater chain.

On Thursday, the National Association of Theatre Owners, the trade group of exhibitors, said its #SaveYourCinema campaign has flooded Congress with more than 300,000 letters. Filmmakers including Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins have joined the campaign lobbying Congress to bring financial relief to theater owners. Without aid, the organization said, 69% of small and mid-sized movie theater companies will close or go bankrupt.

“Soul” will be available for Disney+ to subscribers at no further charge. Disney last month steered “Mulan” to its streaming service of 60 million-plus subscribers but charged $30 for early access.