NETFLIX LOSING SOME THUNDER
The new normal of post-work veg has become to turn on whatever Netflix has added and mindlessly lose yourself in whatever show you’ll be binging for the next three hours.
Netflix subscribers, if you haven’t done so already be sure to get your Moana, Rogue One, and Dr. Strange on because come 2019, Marvel and Star Wars titles are moving over to their own Disney ad-free direct-to-consumer streaming service.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR CONSUMERS
“We have now decided that we will put the Marvel and ‘Star Wars’ movies on this as well,” according to CEO Bob Iger. “So it will have the entire output of the studio, animation, live action in Disney including Pixar, ‘Star Wars’ and all the Marvel films.” The deal includes four or five original films produced by Disney to be available on the app in addition to a few original Disney-branded TV shows.
Marvel “Netflix Originals” such as Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and The Defenders will remain on the platform, but going forward in 2019, all new titles will be with Disney.
The new service isn’t slated until “late 2019” but Iger states that it could be launched in overseas markets a little earlier than the U.S. due to “windowing opportunities on the motion picture side.”
All Disney releases coming out in 2017 and 2018 will still become available on Netflix as they are released (through the end of 2018), but titles set to launch in 2019 such as Frozen 2 will be reserved specially for the new app.
SOMETHING ONLY DISNEY COULD GET AWAY WITH?
Disney’s shares have been down following a quiet summer with less and less people visiting movie theaters these days. And who can blame them? Ticket prices and concession stand items continue to climb giving many less reason to want to empty their wallet for two hour movie experience. In a world of streaming services of all kinds vying for our attention, Disney probably figured they needed to step it up a bit and do their own thing.
While consumers may not be thrilled about losing a decent chunk of their Netflix library or having to sign up for another subscription-based service, we can only hope Disney will provided an expansive library of classics and new, original, content to attract and keep subscribers.
#UndisneyNetflix
