Disney ditches Netflix in favor of their own streaming service in 2019
Disney has announced that their relationship with Netflix will come to an end in 2019. All Disney content except Netflix’s Marvel series will be removed at the beginning of 2019.
The news comes on the back of an announcement that Disney is acquiring BAMTech LLC, a leading provider of video-on-demand subscription services and analytics whose notable partners include NHL, MLB, PGA TOUR, and WWE Network.
That $1.58 billion deal isn’t a random occurrence, of course. Disney will leverage BAMTech to create their own network of streaming services, including a new multi-sport service for ESPN in 2018, and a Disney-branded service in 2019.
Disney has already confirmed that its newest movies will be available on the network that year, including Toy Story 4, the sequel to Frozen, and The Lion King Disney live-action film. You’ll also get older Disney and Pixar movies, and TV content from Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD will also be on tap. If that isn’t enough, Disney also has plans to ramp up their annual release of original movies, TV shows, and short-form content, some of which will be exclusive to the service.
Disney is as equipped as any content maker to launch their own streaming service. The company controls rights to some of the most popular franchises in the world, including new additions of Lucasfilm (Star Wars) and Marvel in recent years. They also control ABC and ESPN, 2 of the biggest networks in their respective fields.
While this news is sure to be sour for Netflix fans who have enjoyed the Disney gravy train to date, this move figures to bring even more content from Disney to the digital frontier than we’ve ever had, and that alone could be worth the cost of adding another subscription to your monthly bill.