While there’s certainly been a groundswell of support for the idea of re-releasing Infinity War and Endgame, there are always a few malcontents chiming in from the dark recesses of the internet.
From where we’re standing, this move makes a lot of sense. For one thing, theaters are likely to re-open in a somewhat piecemeal fashion, and no studio is going to waste a fresh big-budget tentpole on a weekend with only a fraction of the nation’s theaters actually open. Most of the blockbusters that were planned for the spring and summer of 2020 have already been pushed to Q4 or later. Better to fill movie theater seats with a recent classic than to open up without anything to actually play.
Those facts haven’t stopped some fans from taking to Twitter to accuse the Russos, Marvel, and Disney for shamelessly attempting to cash in on an old property instead of bringing new content to market. While many took to Twitter to praise the idea as a boon to struggling theaters, others scoffed at the idea of “milking” the franchise by reissuing what’s already the highest-grossing movie of all time.
Disney is obviously a behemoth company — and like any corporation, the Mouse House certainly isn’t above the occasional act of shameless capitalism — but nor are they above the financial pain being caused by the current pandemic. The entertainment industry is suffering mightily right now. If re-releasing a couple of old superhero flicks helps put a couple shekels in the pockets of movie theaters and studios while also bringing people back together, maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Written by: Looper