Why 'New Mutants' Will First Stream on HBO Max Instead of Hulu

20th Century Fox

After a long (and we do mean looong) wait, “New Mutants” finally hit theaters last weekend, bringing in around $7 million. With many moviegoers still wary about sitting inside a theater amid a still-raging pandemic, and drive-in theaters still hard to come by, it’s very likely the majority of “X-Men” fans will wait to see the film on streaming.

But despite being owned and distributed by Disney (via 20th Century Studios), the latest “X-Men” film will not immediately head to Disney’s streaming services Hulu or Disney+ — but rather a rival service, HBO Max.

And it’s because of a decades-old agreement, though one that is likely to change in the upcoming years.

Also Read: 'The New Mutants' Earns $7 Million Opening Weekend as Theater Reopenings Continue

HBO and Fox have a longstanding output deal that gives the pay cable network first-run TV rights, that is currently set to expire in 2022. Even after the Fox acquisition in 2019, that deal still remained in place. And everything that airs on HBO — which will premiere “New Mutants” on its linear channel at some point after whatever theatrical run the film has is completed — is automatically available on HBO Max.

It’s why other Disney-owned films produced by Fox, like Brad Pitt’s “Ad Astra,” have to gone to HBO (and thus, HBO Max) before any Disney-owned property. The only way to watch those films on Hulu is if you have an HBO account through the streaming service.

Because “New Mutants” is considered an “X-Men” property — reports even suggest that the film was, at one point, going to tie-in to 2016’s “X-Men: Apocalypse” — its rights belonged to Fox, who also held the rights to The Fantastic 4. Marvel gained ownership of “New Mutants” and all X-Men and Fantastic 4 film and TV rights with its acquisition of Fox’s film and TV assets last year.

“The New Mutants” hit theaters this weekend and took in a $7 million opening from an estimated 2,400 screens. The total is slightly below the $8-10 million opening projected for the long-delayed Marvel horror film, but projections are still considered flimsy even among trackers as the industry is still determining the strength of moviegoer interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Disney, which acquired “The New Mutants” as part of its purchase of Fox, 62% of all domestic theaters were open this weekend.

Chadwick Boseman's 10 Most Memorable Roles, From Jackie Robinson to Black Panther (Photos)

Chadwick Boseman, who died of colon cancer on Friday at age 43, made a striking impression in both TV and on the big screen in his too-short time in the spotlight.
Nathaniel Ray, "Lincoln Heights" (2008-09)

Chadwick Boseman had popped in small TV roles in the early 2000s but he had his first major breakthrough role in this ABC Family drama as a member of the U.S. Army who belatedly learns he's the son of the series lead (Russell Hornsby).
ABC Family
Graham McNair, "Persons Unknown" (2010)

He followed "Lincoln Heights" with a role on a short-lived NBC drama about a group of strangers who find themselves plunked into a ghost town.
NBC
Jackie Robinson, "42" (2013)

Boseman landed his first lead role on the big screen in Brian Helgeland's biopic of Jackie Robinson, the first Black player to break into Major League Baseball. He starred opposite Harrison Ford, who played the Brooklyn Dodgers' general manager.
Warner Bros.
Vontae Mack, "Draft Day" (2014)

Boseman switched sports for his next role, as top linebacker prospect from Ohio State who's considered a safe No. 1 pick for a Cleveland Browns GM played by Kevin Costner.

Lionsgate
James Brown, "Get on Up" (2014)

Boseman left the playing field but returned to the biopic genre for this next project, Tate Taylor's look at the rock legend James Brown.
Universal
Jacob King, "Message From the King" (2016)

In this Netflix film, Boseman plays a South African man who arrives in Los Angeles searching for his missing younger sister -- and then embarks on a vengeance quest in an unfamiliar city.

Netflix
Black Panther (2016-19)

After making an introduction in "Captain America: Civil War," Boseman helped create a cultural phenomenon with the success of 2018's standalone "Black Panther" as the prince of the fictional African nation of Wakanda who becomes a superhero beyond his isolated realm. The film grossed $1.3 billion worldwide.
Disney
Thurgood Marshall, "Marshall" (2017)

Boseman returned to playing famous historic figures in Reginald Hudlin's courtroom drama -- which narrowed its look at Thurgood Marshall to an early case he tried as a lawyer for the NAACP, long before he ever imagined taking a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Open Road
Andre Davis, "21 Bridges" (2019)

In this thriller, Boseman plays an NYPD detective in the midst of a manhunt for two cop-killers as he discovers that his fellow officers may be up to shady business themselves.
STX Entertainment
Stormin' Norman, "Da 5 Bloods" (2020)

Boseman has a small role in Spike Lee's Vietnam-set drama as the leader of all-Black squadron sent to recover the cargo from a downed CIA helicopter. Though he only appears in flashbacks, he makes a striking impression.
Netflix

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The actor died Friday at age 43 of colon cancer

Chadwick Boseman, who died of colon cancer on Friday at age 43, made a striking impression in both TV and on the big screen in his too-short time in the spotlight.

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