Disney will end its distribution deal with Netflix and launch its own streaming service. The streaming service will launch in 2019. It is too early to speculate when the Disney streaming service will make its way to India. Netflix secured the rights for Disney’s films back in 2012. Back then the streaming giant wasn’t active in 190 plus countries as it is today. Disney will build its streaming service off technology from BAMTech. BAMTech is the MLB-founded video streaming platform. Disney was already invested in BAMTech, and is adding $1.58 billion to that investment adding 42 percent stake in the company making the total stake 75 percent in BAMTech. The acquisition still needs to get regulatory approval.
“The media landscape is increasingly defined by direct relationships between content creators and consumers, and our control of BAMTech’s full array of innovative technology will give us the power to forge those connections, along with the flexibility to quickly adapt to shifts in the market,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company in a statement. “This acquisition and the launch of our direct-to-consumer services mark an entirely new growth strategy for the Company, one that takes advantage of the incredible opportunity that changing technology provides us to leverage the strength of our great brands.”
The statement goes on to say, “The new Disney-branded service will become the exclusive home in the U.S. for subscription-video-on-demand viewing of the newest live action and animated movies from Disney and Pixar, beginning with the 2019 theatrical slate, which includes Toy Story 4, the sequel to Frozen, and The Lion King from Disney live-action, along with other highly anticipated movies. Disney will also make a significant investment in an annual slate of original movies, TV shows, short-form content and other Disney-branded exclusives for the service. Additionally, the service will feature a vast collection of library content, including Disney and Pixar movies and Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD television programming.”
So, what does this mean for Netflix? Well, Disney says it plans to cut off Netflix starting with the studio’s 2019 films. Netflix says it will be able to showcase Disney content through the end of that year. This means that international subscribers will get access to the next two Star Wars movies, but won’t get the finale to the new trilogy. “We continue to do business with the Walt Disney Company on many fronts, including our ongoing deal with Marvel TV,” said a spokesperson for Netflix to The Verge. The Defenders is the next instalment in Marvel universe on Netflix. You can check out our review of the Defenders here.
On Netflix in India, the Disney, Pixar and Marvel library is scarce. But in the grand scheme of things, yes this is a blow to Netflix and the service will have to rely heavily on creating original content along with its continuing partnership with third party production houses. Netflix recently acquired Millarworld Comics, creators of Kingsman, Kick-Ass, Old Man Logan and Wanted. It has also announced two new original series from India titled Selection Day and Again. Digit recently had the opportunity to check out Polygon Pictures known for its work on popular game, TV and film titles like Dead or Alive, Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Blame!, Transformers Prime and the upcoming Netflix original anime Godzilla: Monster Planet. You can also check out the best Netflix animation titles to look forward to in 2018.