Disney have announced fresh details on their upcoming streaming subscription service, Disney+.
The entertainment giant have been planning their foray into the streaming market for a number of years, and recently completed a $71.3 billion acquisition of a number of 21st Century Fox’s key assets, including its film and TV studios and a large amount of its ‘content portfolio’.
The Walt Disney Company provided further information on Disney+ during a presentation at the company’s annual Investor Day in Burbank, California yesterday (April 11). Set to launch in the US market on November 12, the service will initially cost $6.99 (£5.35) per month – making good on a promise made last year that Disney+ will cost less per month than one of its major competitors, Netflix.
“The service will offer fans of all ages a new way to experience the unparalleled content from the company’s iconic entertainment brands, including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic,” Disney said in a statement.
Over 25 original series and 10 original films, documentaries and specials are expected to be released in the first year of Disney+, including the forthcoming Star Wars spin-off series The Mandalorian, two Toy Story-based projects (titled Forky Asks a Question and Lamp Life) and the documentary series The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
In addition, Disney+ will also house all 30 seasons of The Simpsons from the day it launches.
Welcome to the family, @TheSimpsons. #DisneyPlus pic.twitter.com/OYAN1ziGsy
— Disney (@Disney) April 11, 2019
“Disney+ marks a bold step forward in an exciting new era for our company—one in which consumers will have a direct connection to the incredible array of creative content that is The Walt Disney Company’s hallmark,” Disney chairman and chief executive officer Bob Iger said.
“We are confident that the combination of our unrivalled storytelling, beloved brands, iconic franchises, and cutting-edge technology will make Disney+ a standout in the marketplace, and deliver significant value for consumers and shareholders alike.”
After debuting in the US later this year, Disney says that the plan will then be for Disney+ to “rapidly expand globally”, with plans for the service to be available in “nearly all major regions of the world” within two years.
Earlier this week, the latest trailer for Disney’s remake of The Lion King was released.