Disney will soon launch its much-anticipated video streaming service, designed to compete with Netflix and other services loved by cord-cutters.
There are a few reasons why people can't wait to try Disney+. For one, it'll be relatively inexpensive from month to month, even coming with Hulu and ESPN+ if you subscribe to the bundle package in the US.
It'll also offer up a wide range of content - such as Disney classics in the vault, as well as popular franchises from studios like Pixar, Marvel and LucasFilm. Finally, it'll have plenty of original content.
Here then is everything you need to know about Disney+, including release date, price, shows and more.
What is Disney+?
Disney+ (also referred to as Disney Plus) is an upcoming video streaming service you will be able to access on multiple devices, including mobile, smart TVs and set-top boxes. It won't require a cable subscription in the States, but you will have to pay a subscription fee every month to watch the content on Disney+.
Disney's CEO, Bob Iger, first teased Disney+ in 2017, and essentially confirmed that Disney hoped to take on Netflix. Shortly after this announcement, he said its extensive library of content, including Marvel and Star Wars titles, would gradually disappear from Netflix. Taking control of Disney's streaming rights is a "big strategic shift" for the company, Iger explained.
Iger subsequently revealed that the majority of the content on Disney+ should be appropriate for all ages, and company executive Kevin Mayar added confirmation on additional details about the upcoming service.
What can you watch on Disney+?
When Iger announced Disney's standalone streaming service, he confirmed Marvel Studios films and shows and the Star Wars franchises would become exclusive to the platform: "I have described a very rich, treasure trove of content for this app," he said, according to CNBC. "We're going to launch big, and we're going to launch hot... We’ve now decided we will put the Marvel and Star Wars movies on this app as well."
The Disney+ library will also include 18 Pixar titles, 13 Disney animated classics from the Disney Vault, over 250 hours of National Geographic programming, Disney Channel original movies, 25 original series, and 10 original movies. Disney confirmed it is working on an animated Monsters Inc show as well, plus a 10-episode docu-series based on High School Musical.
A Mighty Ducks show is in the works, too. And, don't forget, Disney acquired 21st Century Fox - thereby obtaining the rights to films, like the X-Men franchise and the TV series Futurama. Every season of The Simpsons will appear on the platform, Iger promised soon after the purchase went through. Disney is also not ruling out licensing third-party content, so long as "the product fits within the Disney brand".
Finally, Disney+ is expected to launch with "500 films from the Disney library... in addition to around 7,000 episodes of Disney TV". In comparison, Netflix had 4,335 movies and 1,197 TV series in 2016 and has an even greater selection now.
Every show and movie on Disney+
| Disney+ | |
| Marvel content | Pixar content |
| Star Wars content | Original content |
| Other Disney content | Availability |
Marvel content
Marvel shows and movies at launch
- Avengers: Endgame (film)
- Captain Marvel (film)
- Iron Man (film)
- Iron Man 3 (film)
- Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (series)
- Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man (series)
- Thor: The Dark World (film)
Marvel shows and movies in year one
- Ant-Man and the Wasp (film - coming by end of 2020)
- Avengers: Infinity War (film - coming by end of 2020)
- Black Panther (film - coming by end of 2020)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (film - coming by end of 2020)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (film - coming by end of 2020)
- Iron Man 2 (film - coming by end of 2020)
- Marvel's 616 (series - coming by end of 2020)
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi (film - coming by end of 2020)
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (series - coming by end of 2020)
- Thor: Ragnarok (film - coming by end of 2020)
Marvel shows and movies in year two
- Hawkeye (series - coming by end of 2021)
- Loki (series - coming by end of 2021)
- Marvel's What If…? (series - coming by end of 2021)
- WandaVision (series - coming by end of 2021)
Star Wars content
Star Wars shows and movies at launch
- A New Hope (film)
- Attack of the Clones (film)
- Return of the Jedi (film)
- Revenge of the Sith (film)
- Rogue One (film)
- Star Wars Rebels (series)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (series)
- The Empire Strikes Back (film)
- The Force Awakens (film)
- The Phantom Menace (film)
Star Wars shows and movies in year one
- Star Wars: Solo (film - coming by end of 2020)
- The Mandalorian (series - coming by end of 2020)
Star Wars shows and movies year two
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film - coming by end of 2021)
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (film - coming by end of 2021)
- Untitled Cassian Andor Series (series - coming by end of 2021)
Pixar content
Pixar shows and movies at launch
- All Pixar movies, except Toy Story 4
Pixar shows and movies in year one
- Forky Asks a Question (series - coming by end of 2020)
- Lamp Life (series - coming by end of 2020)
- Marvel's Hero Project (series - coming by end of 2020)
- Monsters at Work (series - coming by end of 2020)
- Toy Story 4 (film - coming by end of 2020)
Original content
Original shows and movies at launch
- Encore! (series)
- High School Musical: The Musical (series)
- Lady and The Tramp Reboot (film)
- The World According to Jeff Goldblum (series)
- Untitled Walt Disney Imagineering Documentary Series (series)
Original shows and movies in year one
- (Re)Connect (series)
- Be Our Chef (series)
- Cinema Relics: Iconic Art of the Movies (series)
- Diary of a Female President (series)
- Into the Unknown: Making Frozen 2 (series)
- Magic of Animal Kingdom (series)
- Noelle (film)
- Rogue Trip (series)
- Shop Class (series)
- Stargirl (film)
- The Phineas and Ferb Movie (film)
- Timmy Failure (film)
- Togo (film)
Original shows and movies in year two
- Ink & Paint (series)
Other Disney content
This includes classics from the vault, Disney Channel series and movies, plus other titles from Disney's properties.
Shows and movies at launch
- 101 Dalmatians
- A Goofy Movie
- An Extremely Goofy Movie
- Bambi
- Bao
- Big Hero 6
- Born in China
- Fantasia
- Fun and Fancy Free
- Hercules
- High School Musical
- Honey I Shrunk the Kids
- Inside Out
- Iron Man
- Lady and the Tramp
- Lilo & Stitch
- Mary Poppins
- Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
- Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers
- Ratatouille
- Remember the Titans
- Sleeping Beauty
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Steamboat Willie
- The Good Dinosaur
- The Incredibles The Little Mermaid
- The Parent Trap (1961)
- The Prince & The Pauper (1990)
- The Princess Diaries
- The Rocketeer
- The Sorcerer's Apprentice (short)
- The Sword in the Stone
- The Three Caballeros
- Tron (1982)
- Zootopia
Shows at launch
- Amazing Planet
- Andi Mack (seasons one-three)
- Boy Meets World
- Brain Games
- Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan
- Dr. K's Exotic Animals
- Dr. Oakley Yukon Vet
- Drain the Ocean
- DuckTales (1987)
- DuckTales (2016, season one)
- Earth Live
- Goof Troop
- Great Migrations
- Howie Mandel's Animals Doing Things
- Kim Possible
- Malcolm in the Middle
- Mickey and the Roadster Racers (seasons one and two)
- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
- Mickey Mouse Shorts
- One Strange Rock
- Raven's Home
- Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue
- That's So Raven
- The Incredible Dr. Pol
- The Simpsons
- Unlikely Animal Friends
- Wicked Tuna
What does Disney+ feature?
Check out some photos of the interface above.
Disney+ will offer shows and movies in up to 4K HDR. It will also include the ability to set-up profiles for each family member, with parental controls to restrict content depending on age Like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Disney+ will also have offline viewing, so you'll be able to download different shows and movies onto a mobile device to watch when not co
The interface reminds us of a mixture of Apple TV and Netflix. There's a preview screen on the top third of the TV app, while the bottom has several rows with rectangle content icons. The first row looks like it serves up all of Disney's brands: Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic. Subsequent rows are for recommended content, new TV series or movies, and genres.
Which devices will support Disney+?
Disney+ apps will be available for a wide range of hardware, including smart TVs, web browsers, tablets, smartphones, streaming devices and game consoles. Here's a list of confirmed devices so far:
- Apple TV (tvOS)
- Android mobile devices
- Android TV
- Chromecast
- Desktop web browsers
- iPad (iPadOS)
- iPhone (iOS)
- PlayStation 4
- Roku streaming players
- Roku TV
- Xbox One
How much will Disney+ cost?
Disney+ will cost $6.99 per month in the US, considerably cheaper than its main rival Netflix, which starts at $8.99. A yearly subscription will cost $69.99. Disney will also bundle all its subscription services - including Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu - for just $12.99 a month in the US. Keep in mind Hulu is currently available for $5.99 a month with ads, while ESPN+ costs $4.99 a month.
In Canada, the service will cost $8.99 (Canadian) per month (or $89.99 per year), and in the Netherlands, the price will be €6.99 per month (or €69.99 per year). Prices for the UK and other regions are yet to be revealed.
How many streams will be supported?
According to CNET, the service will support four simultaneous streams and 4K included, all for the base price of $6.99 a month. Subscribers will also be able to create and manage up to seven profiles on a single Disney Plus account.
When and where will Disney+ be available?
Disney+ will be available in the US from 12 November 2019.
Its international rollout will also begin that day, starting with Canada, followed a week later by Australia and New Zealand.
It was also originally said that the Netherlands would get Disney+ from the same launch day as the US and Canada. However, there are some reports that it actually went live for Android devices in the country in September. Dutch residents have been invited to test it for two-months for free, it is claimed.
Beyond the initial five countries, the company expects Disney Plus to be available in all major markets within the first two years.
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