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Disney Plus: The end of the Disney Bunker is nearing
by Dominik Bärlocher
New information on Disney Plus: release date, subscription prices and content
12.4.2019
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Disney has recently released new details regarding their announced streaming service «Disney Plus». Included were its release date and subscription prices. Additionally, Disney aims to impress with classics and brands such as Marvel or Star Wars.
This autumn, Disney will join streaming providers such as Netflix, Amazon Prime or Google Play. Until recently, not much was known about the project aside from its name. This all changed yesterday at an investor day at Buena Vista Studios in California. Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, referred to «Disney Plus» as the company’s biggest priority for the year. He finally revealed some new information.
The service will cost 69.99 dollars a year or 6.99 dollars a month. This makes Disney Plus significantly cheaper than its competitors. Additionally, no expensive second subscription is required to unlock UHD resolution. It’s currently unknown on how many devices concurrent streaming will be available. However, any content will be downloadable and viewable offline.
The first muted look at the streaming service.
From Marvel through Star Wars to every Disney classic
The highlight of many Disney fans: All classics the Walt Disney Corp. has been storing in their bunker will be available on the streaming platform. Until now, classics such as 1920’s hit «Snow White and the seven Dwarfs» or the 1991 Oscar nominated «Beauty and the Beast» were only open for purchase every few years for a limited time on DVD or Blu-Ray. Then Disney would seal them in their bunker again.
Disney Plus will also offer any content related to Marvel, Star Wars or any other big Disney-owned brands. On to of that, Disney is planning to produce exclusive content, only viewable on their platform. An example would be the live-action series «The Mandalorian», which is set five years after the events of «Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi».
In it, actor Pedro Pascal plays the titular Mandalorian headhunter, saving the life of a child he was supposed to kill. The series will spend eight episodes with these characters, growing their relationship similar to «Leon the Professional». Not much more is known currently.
Aside from that, a live-action series about Cassian Andor is in the works. The character who appeared in «Rogue One» will be performed by actor Diego Luna. Every Star Wars movie to date will also be open for streaming on the platform.
The Marvel cinematic universe will receive live-action series dedicated to Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). All Marvel movies to be released this year and going forward will be available on Disney Plus, starting with «Captain Marvel». Older superhero epics will follow as soon as the 2019 Netflix deal runs its course.
Subscription overkill
Disney’s streaming service isn’t the only thing launching this autumn: A few weeks ago, Apple announced a cooperation with Hollywood greats such as Steven Spielberg and J. J. Abrams in order to produce content for their own streaming platform. Their prices are still unknown. Now that Disney set the bar at 6.99 dollars a month, Apple’s price structure will be severely compromised.
I’m expecting Disney Plus to be an initial success. The pull of Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and National Geographic nearly guarantees this. Even more if exclusive content such as «The Mandalorian» will be available from the start. Challenging the streaming giant Netflix, however, will still be a hefty task. There’s a good chance this isn’t even the goal of most Disney executives.
The pricing will be substantially below Netflix because we’ll have substantially less volume.
Back in 2017, Disney CEO Bob Iger already announced Disney Plus’ significantly lower price point, due to a smaller range of content. Disney probably sees their streaming platform more as an added bonus than a Netflix killer.
Customers will still have to be wary with their subscriptions. Aside from Disney Plus and Netflix, Amazon Prime and Apple’s services still exist. Disney also controls Hulu and ESPN Plus, mostly used for sports content à la DAZN.
Speaking of which: the Simpsons will be broadcast on Disney Plus from now on. And Maggie will become Tinkerbell.
Luca Fontana
Senior Editor
Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.chI write about technology as if it were cinema, and about films as if they were real life. Between bits and blockbusters, I’m after stories that move people, not just generate clicks. And yes – sometimes I listen to film scores louder than I probably should.
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