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[LordOfLore]

Link.

Disney CEO Bob Iger on Thursday said his studio will launch its direct-to-consumer streaming service in late 2019, with Marvel and Star Wars movies on the upcoming app.

Iger told the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2017 Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference in Los Angeles that the studio will produce four to five original films for exclusive use on the planned Disney app, mostly live action. And around 500 films from the Disney library will show up on the direct-to-consumer platform, in addition to around 7,000 episodes of Disney TV fare.

"It will have the entire output of the studio, animation, live action at Disney, including Pixar, Star Wars and all the Marvel films," Iger said. The Disney-branded app will also include around four to five original TV series, and the studio will produce three to four TV movies for the direct-to-consumer offering.

Also on the TV side, recent seasons of Disney TV series will show up on the platform, in additions to short-form content from the major studio. "You have to think of the Disney app as a traditional SVOD service," Iger told investors, without specifying a monthly fee for what he added was a "treasure trove" of Disney-branded content.

Iger added the separate ESPN app, also intended as a direct-to-consumer offering, will launch in spring 2018. "If you're a big sporting fan, it will be one app," he added.

The planned ESPN app will include Major League Baseball games, NHL games, Major League Baseball, pro tennis and a slew of college sports events. "it will be 10,000 live sports events in the first year," Iger forecast.

Disney in August said it had acquired a large stake in Major League Baseball's streaming technology business, BAMTech, to get into the direct-to-consumer space.

The entertainment and media conglomerate agreed to acquire a 33 percent stake in BAMTech for $1 billion. BAMTech powers streaming services for several sports and media companies.

Disney also in August made the bombshell announcement that its movies would not remain available on Netflix, starting in 2019, after a current licensing deal ends. It will instead launch its own, Disney-branded streaming service.

Iger at the time touted the growing opportunity for direct-to-consumer services, but didn't have many specifics to share about the planned streaming service's pricing and the like beyond saying that the company would also invest in original content for it.

Disney in August also said it would launch a streaming service for its sports juggernaut ESPN.

Iger's employment contract runs through mid-2019. No successor has been named. By Wall Street consensus, no internal candidate has emerged as a clear heir apparent since Disney jettisoned Iger's original favorite, Tom Staggs, in 2015.

There are several internal names whose names have been mentioned as possible successors. Ben Sherwood, who serves as co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney/ABC Television, oversees a key profit center. Bob Chapek, who chairs Disney's parks and resorts, has broad experience and also appears to have Iger's trust. James Pitaro, the head of consumer products and interactive media, has digital experience, having served as head of Yahoo Media. And CFO Christine McCarthy has been working closely with Iger but lacks operational experience.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

No thanks, don't need another paid streaming service on my bill, preferred they stayed on Netflix

 

[Netherscourge]

They own Indiana Jones too, right?

 

[Sectorseven]

Late 2019? They're really going to be playing catch up.

 

[smokeymicpot]

They own Indiana Jones too, right?

Yes they do.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Wasn't this already known?

 

[Mortemis]

No thanks, don’t need another paid streaming service on my bill, preferred they stayed on Netflix

Yup. I don't really use streaming services for just movies, so this doesn't entice me anyways. It sucks not having the occasional Disney movie to watch on Netflix though.

 

[Qasiel]

I'm good, cheers. I think I own all the Disney-related stuff I want and I'm not that fussed to have it at my fingertips.

Spoiler

Unless they make Tron 3 streaming only. If they even make a Tron 3...

 

[LordOfLore]

Wasn't this already known?

People hoped Star Wars or Marvel would stay on Netflix.

 

[Freddy=Legend]

I'm good. I'll stick with my blu-rays.

 

[excelsiorlef]

Disney is the only company that would be worth the price


If they actually literally include basically their entire Animation output and a good chunk of their live action catalogue

 

[Choppasmith]

Wasn't this already known?

I think, previously Marvel/Lucasfilm stuff was still up in the air and this is confirming that it is indeed everything under Disney?

 

[Slayven]

I would be tempted if they had stuff like Quack Attack, Gargoyles, and Goof Troop

 

[Netherscourge]

Disney has way too much stuff to ignore. I hope they stay reasonable with the pricing.

I will almost assuredly sub for that service.

They have 100 years of content and their newer content and licenses are top-tier.

Just too good to pass up.

If it's $15 or less a month, I'm in.

 

[KennyLinder]

Wonder how long before the Marvel shows get renewed on this new Disney service and not Netflix.

 

[Coxy100]

No intention of joining this. Not leaving netflix for it (and not subscribing to another)

 

[Sephzilla]

Disney's gong to get away with this because off everything Disney owns, but I'm not going to be subscribing to this. Everyone's breaking off into their own services and its almost getting to the point where cable is the more viable option again

 

[Slayven]

Disney is the only company that would be worth the price


If they actually literally include basically their entire Animation output and a good chunk of their live action catalogue

That is the only way this works if they put it all on there, from Steamboat Willy to the new Ducktales

 

[RSTEIN]

Wow, how can you NOT subscribe to this (assuming ~9.99 month)

 

[neoanarch]

Disney is the big one. But expect every Hollywood player to do this. Amazon and Apple are big enough to buy out a player.

Apple
Amazon
Disney
Netflix
Hulu

These will end up the big ones. The a la carte future is turning out to be a shitshow.

 

[Wet Bloodfart]

Disney you're big enough why do you have to make a move into your own streaming service

you already have all the money

 

[Boem]

The only Disney things on Netflix I actually want to watch are the Star Wars movies. And it's nice that they're all there in my region, but I prefer the blurays for those. I can't really think of other Disney stuff that would convince me to pay for another service.

I wouldn't be surprised if the long-rumored live action Star Wars show is part of those direct-to-Disneyflix shows though. After all, 2019 is also the year of the final movie in this current trilogy, and they're definitely going to wait a couple of years before starting the next one (spinoffs will continue of course). You can't get a bigger scoop for your new service than a Star Wars thing.

 

[muteki]

Put an extensive catalog of old Disney films, television shows, and specials on there and I would sub in a heartbeat.

But if it is just going to be SW+Marvel+modern stuff with little or only mainstream backcatalog stuff I can do without.

 

[D i Z]

This is a step too far for me.

 

[SuperEpicMan]

Ugh, I hate the direction streaming services are headed. I kinda wish Disney had just bought Netflix instead.

 

[Crimson_Echidna]

Funny how cord cutting has kind of led to this power vacuum. Feel like we're reaching the point where we've traded terrible cable packages to an ever growing and absurd amount of streaming services.

 

[Astral Dog]

Meh i will just buy the DVD 📀

 

[TheChamp]

Wow, how can you NOT subscribe to this (assuming ~9.99 month)

Its so worth it, we already have it in the UK as Disney Life for £4.99 a month... with 10% off at Disney Store (saved £50 this weekend alone)

 

[excelsiorlef]

That is the only way this works if they put it all on there, from Steamboat Willy to the new Ducktales

Yep.

It's 100% worth it if it's all there.

Also App needs to support 5.1-7.1 surround sound ala Netflix.

 

[Massicot]

Funny how cord cutting has kind of led to this power vacuum. Feel like we're reaching the point where we've traded terrible cable packages to an ever growing and absurd amount of streaming services.

Yea, this feels like a shitty version of the a la carte future that people thought they wanted ten years ago.

 

[SatoAilDarko]

Disney's gong to get away with this because off everything Disney owns, but I'm not going to be subscribing to this. Everyone's breaking off into their own services and its almost getting to the point where cable is the more viable option again

I think it will for at least a few people in the coming years as more and more content is separated by streaming service.

 

[LegendofLex]

If they get their entire film catalog, their entire animation catalog (incl. TV shows and shorts), and current original/TV content, I'd sub in a heartbeat. (Provided it's in the $10 range.)

I'd be happy with Netflix + Disney + sharing my friend's HBO + local TV for a good long while.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

People hoped Star Wars or Marvel would stay on Netflix.

Ah..lol. Yeah, I wasn't expecting that. When a company is trying to convince you to pay for yet another service, they ain't leaving their money makers on a competing service. Just seemed like this was obvious..

 

[entremet]

I haven't rewatched a single Marvel Studios movie. They're fun popcorn flicks. That's it.

Same with the new Star Wars. I wouldn't mind the 90s Disney Animated Classics on demand, though.

 

[Slayven]

Funny how cord cutting has kind of led to this power vacuum. Feel like we're reaching the point where we've traded terrible cable packages to an ever growing and absurd amount of streaming services.

 

[Scuffed]

Nope. I have Prime, Netflix, Spotify, ps+ and maybe the Nintendo online service fee that is enough monthly crap for me thanks.

I haven't rewatched a single Marvel Studios movie. They're fun popcorn flicks. That's it.

Same with the new Star Wars. I wouldn't mind the 90s Disney Animated Classics on demand, though.

Same here I like them a lot I just don't really have the urge to rewatch most of them. I did watch FA a few times though which surprised me lol.

 

[excelsiorlef]

Its so worth it, we already have it in the UK as Disney Life for £4.99 a month... with 10% off at Disney Store (saved £50 this weekend alone)

What's on it?

Everything? Or do they rotate their catalog?

 

[XGRaViSmOrSX]

oh cool, more shitty streaming services to further fragment the market. Can't wait for everyone to pull their content and try to make their own streaming service. This era inbetween cable TV and internet TV is gonna SUCK

 

[JJH]

Isn't DC doing a streaming service as well? How are they suppose to compete with Disney/Star Wars/Marvel service as well as Netflix?

 

[digitalrelic]

It's actually a very intriguing value. All of Pixar, the entire Disney animation back catalog, all of the Star Wars movies, all of the Indiana Jones movies, and all of the Marvel movies, plus all of Disney's other live action movies like The Jungle Book, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mighty Ducks, etc... throw in The Disney Channel shows and original movies, and it's actually every bit as good of a value as Netflix. As a father of a four year old, I'm probably in.

 

[K' Dash]

fuck that, I won´t subscribe to another service.

 

[Chezzymann]

The total price tag for streaming keeps going up and up as each Netflix competitor pops up. Not a fan of this no matter how much value it has.

Eventually when 6 more streaming services pop up someone will have the "bright idea" to bundle 10 streaming services together for $50 and boom were back to cable. And then they'll add ads 5 years later.

 

[pswii60]

The fragmentation is already ridiculous, this is taking it to another level.

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

Yeah, I ain't paying for this shit even if the Disney catalog is epic. I don't like this splintering of streaming services one bit.

 

[Shadowhelper]

There's a reason Netflix share prices fell when they announced this. This service could really hurt Netflix.

Their content for children alone is completely unmatched. Throw in Marvel and Disney movies, they will have the most desirable content to the mainstream.

You got Apple and Facebook also getting involved. Its going to get a bit splintered but Disney can rise above it all since they have the most prized possessions by far.

 

[excelsiorlef]

The beautiful thing about this if it's the full catalog is who says you need to subscribe every month... just treat it like a rental and only pay during months that you have a craving for some Disney

 

[The Illiterati]

Seeing as how this forum has threads with titles like "I can't seem to find time to watch the latest Star Wars/Marvel film 900 times like all the others" this service should be a no-brainer, literally.

 

[ferr]

sharding out content to their own streaming services by their license owners will be the demise of netflix et al.

what netflix does is no longer hard to do. all it has is content, which is why it invests so heavily in original content now.

 

[Toa TAK]

Nah.

I already run out to buy the Star Wars films on Blu-Ray, and there aren't many MCU films I care to own, nevermind rewatch, same with the Disney films in general.

I personally won't be missing much.

 

[Doctoglethorpe]

Disney has way too much stuff to ignore. I hope they stay reasonable with the pricing.

I will almost assuredly sub for that service.

They have 100 years of content and they're newer content and licenses are top-tier.

Just too good to pass up.

If it's $15 or less a month, I'm in.

Everything I was gonna say. Plus, by the time this launches I'm probably gonna be a dad, so, yeah I can easily see it getting more use than Netflix or Hulu ever has.