Disney Plus (Streaming Service)

[PatchofBlue]

Way to represent, Percy!

It does seem like Disney hasn't been releasing much to Disney+. It feels like the last high profile Disney+ movie was Peter Pan and Wendy which was released more than a year ago.

Now that you mention it ...

[Disney's Divinity]

Speaking of Percy Jackson, I saw some book at the store today that looked like it was a little too close of a copycat. It was called Skandar and the Unicorn Thief (Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief). I know a lot of these books look to what's been successful in the past as far as how they're titled and everything for marketing reasons, but I thought that one was a bit too close. I'll see the Disney+ eventually, although it's been a while since I read those books.

[Kyle]

It does seem like Disney hasn't been releasing much to Disney+. It feels like the last high profile Disney+ movie was Peter Pan and Wendy which was released more than a year ago.

We just got out of a long writers strike, of course there was gonna be a gap.

[willard]

Disney Plus releases for June 2024

https://screencrush.com/new-on-disney-plus-june-2024/

Seriously, only two classic Donald Duck shorts for the his 90th birthday?

[Sotiris]

Disney+ Failing To Connect With Gen Z Viewers
https://whatsondisneyplus.com/disney-fa ... z-viewers/

[carolinakid]

Disney+ in its current form doesn’t interest me one iota, but if there were a classic Disney Channel with plenty of Walt era content, I would definitely pay for that.

[Kyle]

I dont know why they dont lean into some of their legacy content like that. And why arent things like the aladdin animated series, or house of mouse on there yet. These are no brainers.

[PatchofBlue]

I feel like it's the same basic reason why streaming services in general these days tend to place more emphasis on their original content rather than pre-existing stuff. The way you turn your location into a destination is to show off that you have the coolest new toys that you can't play with anywhere else--toys that studios don't have to share with physical media or other streaming services. That, of course, turns streaming originals into by-the-books products that no one remembers two days later, which is mostly where we are now.

I've also thought that Disney+ would be better for promoting its legacy material. Where are the YouTube ads hyping up Lion King (now streaming on Disney+!) for its 30th anniversary here in a few weeks? But then again, no other studio hates its own catalogue quite as much as Disney does.

[Kyle]

Original content will always be the biggest reason to sub to a service (long term anyway), but its not like they have a lot of worthwhile original stuff either, so like, why not fill the gaps with content you know is hard to access otherwise?

[PatchofBlue]

Original content will always be the biggest reason to sub to a service (long term anyway), but its not like they have a lot of worthwhile original stuff either, so like, why not fill the gaps with content you know is hard to access otherwise?

That's never been the case for me, personally. I'm actually a bit of a snob with my media, and movies that are direct to streaming tend to have to work harder to catch my attention. TV has also always been second tier to me, so even streaming shows barely move the needle (I still haven't seen Jenna Ortega "Wednesday" show, for reference). The best way to get my attention is to have the healthiest supply of quality movies.

[Kyle]

You want quality movies, yes, but if you can get them any number of places, is it still that appealing? Otherwise why not stick to something like Netflix? There was a time when they were the streaming service. Them and Hulu.

[PatchofBlue]

Again, speaking just for myself, but the nature of rotating content is a large part of what keeps me invested in having multiple subscriptions. Any number of sites could in theory have "Titanic" available, and indeed many have at one point or another, but they don't always on any given day. Good movies seldom stay on one service for too long, and one of the best ways to keep a wide net is just to have access to a lot of different libraries, a lot of different access points. If a service is consistently offering a reliable number of movies I either already like or want to watch, I stay signed in.

I was actually about to drop my Apple TV+ subscription and just be content to renew it anytime I wanted to rewatch "Ted Lasso" until they recently started investing in hosting more prominent titles like "Jerry Maguire" or "King Kong." I may eventually get around to watching "Argyle" at some point (which, yeah, had a theatrical release, I know), but I had been meaning to rewatch the "Godfather" movies which were on Apple this month, and so in this way the service has started proving its merit to me.

This makes Disney+ kind of an interesting player in the game. Its catalogue consists of titles that are tried and true for me--movies I will always want to watch--but because its scope is mostly limited to one particular brand, any kind of discovery generally does come with original content, which puts it at a disadvantage.

[Sotiris]

Hollywood’s Pivot to Streaming 5 Years On: Fatal Error – or Key to Survival?
https://www.thewrap.com/streaming-theat ... s-netflix/

[PatchofBlue]

Disney+ Wants to Make You Finish What You’ve Started — Report
https://www.indiewire.com/news/business ... 235026333/

According to a new report in the Wall Street Journal, the entertainment giant is designing a new arsenal of features designed to make viewers spend more time engaging with content on its Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ streaming services.

These changes include updates to algorithms to offer more personalized recommendations, custom promotional art for original series that’s designed to match a user’s tastes, and even email reminders encouraging viewers to finish shows that they started watching.

The new features are designed to make it easier than ever to find new shows to watch, but Disney is apparently open to the possibility that picking a show based on recommendations of an increasingly sophisticated algorithm might still be too much work for some. Per the report, the company is also considering adding linear channels to its streaming services that broadcast films and shows from its most prolific properties on a constant loop, perfect for viewers paralyzed by indecision.

Someone should suggest they try fixing the streaming problem by making better shows ...

[NeoSuperBlissey]

Website Deadline is reporting that the BBC and Disney+ have officially greenlit the long-rumored "Doctor Who" spinoff, "The War Between the Land and the Sea," a five-part miniseries set to focus on UNIT (Unified Intelligence Task Force) and their battles against the evil Sea Devils (a race first introduced on the parent series in 1972).

Set to begin production next month (and just like the current seasons of the parent series), "The War Between the Land and the Sea" will release on the BBC (and its iPlayer service) in the U.K. and Ireland and Disney+ everywhere else (where available).

https://deadline.com/2024/07/doctor-who ... 236023672/

[Sotiris]

Disney Says It Might Have to Pay Comcast up to $5 Billion More to Buy Out Hulu
https://variety.com/2024/digital/news/d ... 236098414/

‘Inside Out 2’ Lifts Disney Quarterly Earnings, Overall Streaming Biz Swings to Profit Amid Light Disney+ Subscriber Gain
https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/disney ... 236098290/

[Mooky]

Is there a way to access a full A-Z list of content on Disney+ other than going through All Collections? I've noticed there are some movies and shows available when you search them up directly that are not listed neither on the movie/genre page nor under their respective "collection".

[Sotiris]

Disney’s Streaming Dilemma: Star Wars and Marvel’s Diminishing Demand on Disney+
https://www.thewrap.com/disney-streamin ... ws-demand/

Disney To Close DisneyNOW, FXNOW, Nat Geo, Freeform & ABC Apps
https://whatsondisneyplus.com/disney-to ... -abc-apps/

Disney’s Big Emmy Wins May Build Streaming Momentum
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/busin ... 236001043/

[Sotiris]

"An Almost Christmas Story," New Animated Holiday Short Directed By David Lowery And Produced By Academy Award-Winning Filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón, Coming To Disney+ This Fall
https://press.disneyplus.com/news/disne ... nnouncment

"An Almost Christmas Story" Premieres Nov. 15 On Disney+
https://press.disneyplus.com/news/disne ... nouncement

New Clip From 'An Almost Christmas Story,' Directed By David Lowery And Produced By Alfonso Cuarón
https://press.disneyplus.com/news/disne ... y-new-clip

Go Behind ‘An Almost Christmas Story’ with Director David Lowery
https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/an-alm ... id-lowery/

‘An Almost Christmas Story’: David Lowery Believes We Are at a ‘Sea Change Moment’ for CG Animation
https://www.indiewire.com/features/anim ... 235066586/

Interview: David Lowery Presents “An Almost Christmas Story”
https://www.animationscoop.com/intervie ... mas-story/

‘An Almost Christmas Story’ Director David Lowery on His First Animated Short and Choosing CG Over Live-Action
https://variety.com/2024/artisans/news/ ... 236247119/

[Sotiris]

Disney+ Removes Multiple Originals Including “Togo” & “A Small Light”
https://whatsondisneyplus.com/disney-re ... all-light/