Disney+
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Parent | Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International |
URL | disneyplus |
Launched | November 12, 2019 |
Disney+ (pronounced Disney Plus)[1][2][3] is an upcoming over-the-top subscription video on-demand service owned and operated by Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International. It is set to launch in the United States on November 12, 2019. It will be focused on film and television content from Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Television.[4] Original films and television series based on new and existing properties are also planned, including content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, National Geographic, and 20th Century Fox.
The service will compete with other video streaming subscription services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and will complement Hulu, which Disney has a majority ownership stake in.
History
In August 2016, Disney acquired a minority stake in BAMTech (a spin-out of MLB Advanced Media's streaming technology business) for $1 billion, with an option to acquire a majority stake in the future. Following the purchase, ESPN announced plans for an "exploratory [over-the-top] project" based on its technology (ESPN+) to supplant its existing linear television services.[5][6] On August 8, 2017, Disney invoked its option to acquire a controlling stake in BAMTech for $1.58 billion, increasing its stake to 75%. Alongside the acquisition, the company also announced plans for a second, Disney-branded direct-to-consumer service drawing from its entertainment content, which would launch after the company ends its existing distribution agreement with Netflix in 2019.[7][8]
In December 2017, Disney announced its intent to acquire key entertainment assets from 21st Century Fox. The acquisition, intended to bolster Disney's content portfolio for its streaming products,[9][10] closed on March 20, 2019.[11]
In January 2018, it was reported that former Apple and Samsung executive Kevin Swint had been appointed senior vice president and general manager of the new service reporting to BAMTech's CEO.[12][13] In June 2018, former Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures marketing president Ricky Strauss was named president of content and marketing for the service.[14][15]
On November 8, 2018, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that the service would be named Disney+, and that the company was targeting a launch in late 2019.[16] A September launch was reportedly planned,[17] but on April 11, 2019, Disney announced that Disney+ would launch on November 12, 2019; Disney stated that it planned to roll the service out worldwide over the next two years, targeting Western Europe and Asia-Pacific countries by late 2019 and early 2020, and Eastern Europe and Latin America by the end of 2020. The timing of international launches is subject to the acquisition or expiration of existing streaming rights deals for Disney content.[18]
Content
The service will be built around content from Disney's main entertainment studios, including Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Fox, and National Geographic. The service will operate alongside Hulu—an existing over-the-top service in which Disney holds a majority ownership following its Fox purchase. Bob Iger stated that Disney+ would be focused specifically on family-oriented entertainment (not carrying any R or TV-MA-rated content), and that Hulu would remain oriented towards general entertainment.[16][19][20]
It is expected that Disney+ will have approximately 7,000 television episodes and 500 films,[21] including content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and National Geographic, as well as Disney Channel shows and family-friendly films and television shows from 20th Century Fox and ABC Studios.[22][23][24][25][26][27] New releases from 20th Century Fox will not immediately be available on either Disney+ or Hulu, as Fox has an output deal with HBO until 2022.[28] Captain Marvel will be the first theatrically-released Disney film to stream exclusively on Disney+.[29] Bob Iger said that Disney+ will eventually host the entire Disney film library, including films currently in the "Disney Vault".[a] The service will also hold exclusive streaming rights to The Simpsons, with all thirty seasons of the series available on launch.[31]
It was initially unclear whether the first six films of the Star Wars franchise would be available at the service's launch, as Turner Broadcasting held streaming rights through 2024 as part of its cable rights to the franchise,[32] but on April 11, 2019, it was announced that the films would be available within the first year along with The Force Awakens and Rogue One.[b][33][34]
Original series based on Marvel properties and Star Wars are being produced, with the former including five new Marvel Cinematic Universe spin-off series involving the characters of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Hawkeye, Loki, Scarlet Witch and Vision, and a What If animated series,[35][36][37] and the latter including The Mandalorian, a television series set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, a spin-off series focused on Cassian Andor from Rogue One, and a seventh season of the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.[38][39] The service's initial original content goal was planned to include four to five original films and five television shows with budgets from $25–100 million.[20] In January 2019, it was reported that Disney will spend up to $500 million in original content for the service.[40] The Mandalorian alone is expected to cost $100 million.[41] There will also be a behind-the-scenes documentary series focusing on Disney studios, with plans for one following the production of Frozen 2.[35]
In January 2019, Disney+ ordered Diary of a Female President from CBS Television Studios, its first series from an outside production company.[42]
Device support
Disney announced plans for streaming via web browsers on PCs, as well as apps for digital media players (including Roku, and "likely" Apple TV according to Iger), smart TVs, video game consoles, and mobile platforms. Content will be streamed in resolutions up to 4K and with HDR when available.[43][44][45]
See also
References
Footnotes
- ^ Racially controversial content such as Song of the South and scenes from Dumbo will be excluded, as they generally have been on home video.[30]
- ^ The Last Jedi, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and The Rise of Skywalker will follow at a later date.
Citations
- ^ "Netflix chief ready for Disney battle". BBC Online. November 9, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^ "Ryvicker: Going to Need Very Little Marketing for Disney Plus". Bloomberg L.P. February 6, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (February 5, 2019). "Disney to Forgo $150 Million in Fiscal 2019 as it Prepares to Launch Disney Plus". Variety. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ Machkovech, Sam (April 11, 2019). "Disney+ launches on November 12 for $6.99/mo, plus new Marvel, Star Wars series". Ars Technica. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (August 18, 2016). "What's Behind Disney's $1 Billion Investment in Major League Baseball's Digital Arm". Variety. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
- ^ Miller, Daniel (August 9, 2016). "Walt Disney Co. buys stake in video streaming service BAMTech". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
- ^ "Marvel and Star Wars films will ditch Netflix for Disney's own service". CNET. Archived from the original on September 7, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Kastrenakes, Jacob (August 8, 2017). "Disney to end Netflix deal and launch its own streaming service". The Verge. Archived from the original on April 6, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Littleton, Cynthia; Steinberg, Brian (December 14, 2017). "Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assets for $52.4 Billion in Historic Hollywood Merger". Variety. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
- ^ Sakoui, Anousha (December 14, 2017). "Disney Buys Fox Assets in $52 Billion Split of Murdoch Realm". Bloomberg. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
- ^ Ha, Anthony (March 12, 2019). "Disney says Fox acquisition will close on March 20". TechCrunch. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ Roettgers, Janko (January 19, 2018). "Disney Hires Apple Veteran to Launch Its Netflix Killer (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
- ^ Jarvey, Natalie (January 19, 2018). "BAMTech Taps Apple Veteran to Lead Disney OTT". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
{{cite news}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Busch, Anita (June 28, 2018). "Disney Exec Reorg: Asad Ayaz Named President Of Marketing As Ricky Strauss Moves To President For Studio's New SVOD Service". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
- ^ Barnes, Brooks (August 5, 2018). "Disney's Streaming Service Starts to Come Into Focus". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
- ^ a b Littleton, Cynthia (November 8, 2018). "Bob Iger Talks Disney+, Hulu Plans and His Vision for Enlarged TV Studio". Variety. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
- ^ Massabrook, Nicole (December 23, 2018). "Netflix Titles Leaving In January 2019: Best Movies Disappearing From Streaming Service". International Business Times. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (April 11, 2019). "Disney+ to Launch in November, Priced at $6.99 Monthly". Variety. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
- ^ Goldman, David (December 14, 2017). "Disney buys 21st Century Fox: Who gets what". CNNMoney. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ a b Mike Fleming Jr. (February 8, 2018). "Disney Unveils Inaugural Streaming Service Launch Slate To Town; No R-Rated Fare". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 26, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Libbey, Dirk (November 10, 2017). "How Much Will Disney's Streaming Service Cost? Here's What Bob Iger Says". Cinemablend. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Schedeen, Jesse (August 16, 2018). "Everything Coming to Disney's Streaming Service (So Far)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
- ^ Faughnder, Ryan. "Disney pulls back the curtain on its streaming service — a little bit — announcing new 'Star Wars' and Marvel shows". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
- ^ Chmielewski, Dawn C.; Hipes, Patrick (November 8, 2018). "'Rogue One' Prequel Series In Works For Disney's Streaming Service, Now Named Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
- ^ Orange, B. Alan (January 10, 2019). "Pixar Announces New Short Film Program Sparkshorts". MovieWeb. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
- ^ Coggan, Devan (April 11, 2019). "Disney+ streaming service unveils price, November launch date". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ Buhlam, Jocelyn (April 11, 2019). "Your Complete Guide to Disney+ Entertainment". D23. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
- ^ Joe Flint (August 15, 2012). "HBO and 20th Century Fox renew output deal". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Barnes, Brooks (August 5, 2018). "Disney's Streaming Service Starts to Come Into Focus". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 13, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ THR Staff (April 22, 2019). "'Song of the South,' 'Dumbo's' Jim Crow Scene Will Not Be on Disney+". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (April 11, 2019). "'The Simpsons' to Stream Exclusively on Disney+". Variety. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
- ^ Shaw, Lucas (August 2, 2018). "Disney Is Seeking 'Star Wars' Rights Back From TBS, TNT". Bloomberg. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ Hayes, Dade (April 11, 2019). "Entire 'Star Wars' Franchise Will Be On Disney+ Within Its First Year". Deadline. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
- ^ Whitbrook, James (April 11, 2019). "The Mandalorian Will Premiere on Disney+ November 12". io9.gizmodo.com. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
- ^ a b Littleton, Cynthia; Littleton, Cynthia (April 11, 2019). "Marvel 'What If' Animated Show, 'Frozen II' Docu-Series Headed to Disney+". Variety. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
- ^ Pallotta, Fran. "Marvel spinoffs: Loki, Falcon and Scarlet Witch are coming to Disney+". CNN. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
- ^ Alexander, Julia (April 11, 2019). "Disney+ gets two new series based on Winter Soldier, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, and Vision". The Verge. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (November 8, 2018). "Bob Iger Talks Disney+, Hulu Plans and His Vision for Enlarged TV Studio". Variety. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
- ^ Wade, Jessie (November 13, 2018). "The Mandalorian: Star Wars TV Series Casts Pedro Pascal in Lead Role". IGN. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (January 29, 2019). "Inside Disney's Daring Dive Into the Streaming World". Variety. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
- ^ Murphy, Mike (August 7, 2018). "Disney's upcoming Star Wars streaming series expected to cost $100 million". MarketWatch. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley; Couch, Aaron (April 9, 2019). "Disney+: A Comprehensive Guide to All Its Programming (So Far)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
- ^ Pocket-lint (April 12, 2019). "This is what Disney+ looks like, costs and when it'll launch". Pocket-lint. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ "Disney+ app and worldwide rollout plans revealed". Engadget. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ Tambini, Olivia. "Disney+ likely to come to Apple TV according to Disney CEO". TechRadar. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
External links
- Disney+ – official site