As the world of “television” continues to evolve and the industry awaits Apple’s entrance into the field with bated breath, Disney is also quietly firming up plans for its highly anticipated streaming service. The Mouse House began making plans for its own streaming service a couple of years ago, but with it expected to launch in Fall 2019, Disney is starting to put into production the content that will first be available when it’s released—and details about the films and TV shows we can expect are starting to surface.
PerDeadline, Disney has begun meetings in the creative community about the new Disney streaming service, from which we can gauge kind of what they’re planning. No price point just yet, but the big news—which isn’t super surprising—is that the streaming service will not include any R-rated movies when it launches. R-rated content will go on Hulu, which has a deal with 20th Century Fox—which Disney is in the process of buying. Speaking of which, there has been no mention of how Fox content will fit into the new service, since that deal is far from done and there area lotof details that still have to be worked out.
The Disney streaming service will launch in Fall 2019, first with a domestic-only service and then expanding overseas after that. The content on the streaming service will be consistent with the Disney brand, but right now the plan is to leave the various Marvel series on Netflix for the time-being. That doesn’t meant the Marvel Netflix shows won’t eventually be available on the Disney streaming service, but those grittier and more violent series will continue to be developed and launched at Netflix for now.
Within the first year, Disney hopes to launch four or five original movies and five TV series. The TV shows will cost between $25 million and $25 million for 10-episode seasons, but there exists the possibility that one or tworeallybig shows might have a cap of $100 million for a 10-episode season—which would allow them to compete with the scale of shows likeGame of ThronesorWestworld.
Disney is actually already holding back content for the streaming service. They removed theMark Waters-directed comedyMagic Campfrom the release schedule last year and that’s being earmarked to debut on the streaming service, as is theAnna KendrickandBill Hader-fronted Christmas comedyNoelle, which just wrapped production.
Other priority movie projects include a newLady and the Tramp,Don Quixotewritten byBilly Ray(Captain Phillips),The Paper Magician,Stargirl, andTogo. Deadline also reports that thelive-actionSword in the Stonemoviewould also be made for the streaming service, which explains whyRidley Scottis in talks to direct a live-action Merlin moviefor Disney as well—one goes on the streaming service, one goes to theaters. There’s also a3 Men and a Babyreboot and aTom McCarthy-directed film calledTimmy Failurein development to potentially debut on the streaming service.
The big question here is, what kind of quality is Disney looking for for this streaming service? Are we getting Disney Channel Original Movie-level films here, or will we get stuff on the level ofPete’s DragonorSaving Mr. Banks? Judging by the completed projects likeMagic CampandNoelleit feels like the latter, albeit maybe a little more skewed towards younger audiences.
TV-wise, Disney still plans to stream a new non-Netflix Marvel live-action title, aStar Wars-branded series, aHigh School Musicalshow, and an animatedMonsters, Inc.series when the streaming service launches.
Clearly Disney is trying to stack up as much content as possible to lure consumers to this new service, and it sounds like the offerings on both the film and TV side will beveryfamily friendly. One imagines the Marvel show will be more in line withAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.thanDaredevilin terms of tone, and it’ll be interesting to see what thatStar Warsseries is.
We’re about to start getting a lot more details on all of this as Disney needs to enter production on these films and shows this year to make the Fall 2019 launch date. So stay tuned.
