The fanfare is over… the new streaming service smell has worn off… and “The Mandalorian” has concluded its first season run.
So, what are my thoughts on Disney’s ambitious new streaming service — three months into life as a Disney+ subscriber?
I’m going to look at the service based strictly on how I use it — my initial reaction, what I watch, and what I’d like to see in the future.
MY INITIAL REACTION
When Disney+ was first announced, there were a number of assumptions made that haven’t fully panned out for subscribers.
For example, some folks assumed (despite Disney releasing information to the contrary) that the *entire* Disney catalog would be on the service.
As of this writing, a number of notable movies, shorts, and TV shows have yet to appear on Disney+.
Some movies — like the “Mighty Ducks” franchise — have “place holder” graphics on the service, but the streaming rights won’t revert back to Disney until July 1, 2020.
There are hit films — like Warren Beatty’s 1990 flick “Dick Tracy” — that are nowhere to be seen.
Some of the 1980s-era movies from my youth — like “The Last Flight of Noah’s Ark” — have yet to show up.
The popular TV series “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is tied up on Netflix.
In addition, certain movies that were on Disney+ when the service debuted (like “Home Alone”) disappeared in January 2020.
So Disney+ doesn’t house the *entire* catalog. At least, not yet.
Based on existing streaming/broadcasting rights (such as the deals Disney had with entities like Netflix and Starz), some of the content won’t make it to Disney+ for awhile.
In addition, certain movies could revert back to those other services in the future (“Black Panther” being an example).
We’ll have to stay tuned and see what happens in that regard.
I’m not trying to slight the service. I just wanted to point out that it isn’t the complete Disney collection. Furthermore, it is very possible that Disney will rotate content in and out to keep things fresh as the years progress.
Taking all of that into account, there is still a considerable amount of content on the service. It’s a healthy slate for $6.99/month (or $69.99/year) in the U.S.
There is also a $12.99/month bundle that includes Hulu and ESPN+. (We got the bundle.)
WHAT I WATCH ON DISNEY+
Like many of the first day subscribers to Disney+, the first season of “The Mandalorian” was a key hook in luring me to sign up.
I enjoyed how they released “The Mandalorian” episodes on a week-to-week basis (even though Bridget and I typically like to binge watch series).
The slower pace allowed me to review each episode as it appeared on the service.
For being the first live-action “Star Wars” series, I thought Lucasfilm did a solid job. Some viewers complained about the fact that the eight episodes had short runtimes (most in the 30-minute range). It definitely left you wanting more (the show will return for a second season in October 2020).
One of the nice benefits of the service is that it offers a pretty hefty amount of content in 4K HDR.
As of this writing, there are more than 70 theatrical movies currently offered in 4K HDR. In addition, a number of the Disney+ original series (like “The Mandalorian”) are offered in 4K, as are some of the short film collections (like the inventive “SparkShorts” collection).
I was pleasantly surprised to see the “Star Wars” films offered in 4K. The older films in the series (episodes I-VII) weren’t previously available anywhere in 4K.
Aside from new content like “The Mandalorian,” I’ve enjoyed being able to watch catalog fare like 1991’s “The Rocketeer” (I’d forgotten how much fun it was) and 1979’s “The Black Hole” (a movie I loved in grade school).
I haven’t delved into all of the new original content on Disney+, but did watch the Christmas movie “Noelle” (read my review) and just started the film “Togo” (review coming soon).
I've also sampled series like “The World According to Jeff Goldblum,” “The Imagineering Story,” and the “SparkShorts” animated collection (I’d recommend “Float” — the sweet story of a boy who has autism).
I’ve recently been catching up on the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (the final season debuted Feb. 21 on Disney+).
Like many of you, I’m looking forward to seeing what some of the “future" series and movies will be like. In particular, I’m hopeful that Marvel’s “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” will be a worthwhile entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
At this point in time, Disney doesn’t have the sort of robust release schedule for new content that rival Netflix doles out on a week-to-week basis.
Much of the early content is reality-type programming (which is quicker and cheaper to produce). I’m hoping this is a stop-gap measure until Disney can ramp up production of scripted series and in-depth documentary content.
WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE ON DISNEY+
So far, most of the “scripted series” announced for Disney+ are based “Marvel” and “Star Wars” properties.
But I have some thoughts on other series I’d like to see developed for the service.
I think Disney could create a really cool live-action series based on the “Tron” films.
You could do so much with that world, and since they scrapped plans for third theatrical “Tron” movie, it would make a lot of sense to use that IP on Disney+.
Disney’s 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm opens up a number of possibilities for series that go beyond the “Star Wars” franchise.
For example, the 1988 fantasy film “Willow” would be the perfect fodder for a TV series. It would be fun to see Warwick Davis back in action as Nelwyn wizard Willow Ufgood.
The current visual effects technologies would allow them to create a much richer world than they could in the 1980s. I’ve always felt “Willow” was produced before its time.
The possibility of a “Willow”-based series has been teased, but nothing concrete has been announced.
To me, “Tron” and Willow” are two properties tailor-made for further adventures on Disney+.
I also wouldn’t mind seeing Nicolas Cage in a series based on the “National Treasure” franchise (a third theatrical movie is apparently in the works).
The Disney+ Twitter account recently shared some images from their upcoming “Mighty Ducks” series (currently in production). The production brings back Emilio Estevez as Coach Gordon Bombay. As a hockey fan, I couldn’t be more pleased to see that franchise back on the ice.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Some prognosticators have suggested Disney+ is the soulful alarm announcing the end of “physical media” — meaning consumers soon won’t be able to purchase movies and TV shows on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Blu-ray.
We’ve seen shrinkage in the physical media market the past few years. Brick-and-mortar stores are allocating less shelf space to the entire DVD segment.
Bridget and I stream content (from services like Disney+) via three Apple TV units in our home.
While Apple TV has a terrific “user interface” and “user experience,” I do lament the apparent end of physical media, and wonder what the future will be like when consumers don’t *own* movies anymore.
It brings into question the entire direction of the industry.
As studios and tech companies compete for a slice of the subscription revenue pie, will we see the number of theatrical movie releases dwindle? Will the theatrical window narrow to weeks (instead of months)? Will high-profile projects be shifted exclusively to streaming platforms?
It’s hard to say at this point.
Disney’s Bob Iger — who recently stepped aside as CEO in preparation for his retirement in 2022 — said last year that Disney+ is the company’s “number one priority.” The service is part of his overall vision for a reinvention of Disney.
A day will come in the not-to-distant future when Disney+ is pumping out new content every week throughout the year.
How that will effect the entertainment industry is still unknown. It does make you wonder if the day is coming when the latest Marvel, “Star Wars,” or Pixar blockbuster will debut on Disney+.
While it’s prestigious to have a handful of movies make $1 billion at the box office each year, a company like Disney is looking to generate $1 billion a month from its streaming service. The more compelling the original content on Disney+, the more likely people are to stay subscribers.
While it’s prestigious to have a handful of movies make $1 billion at the box office each year, a company like Disney is looking to generate $1 billion a month from its streaming service. The more compelling the original content on Disney+, the more likely people are to stay subscribers.
While the service is still a work in progress — and still has its quirks — Disney+ has a solid infrastructure on place. It is a worthwhile option to have in your streaming arsenal.
I’m looking forward to seeing where Disney+ goes from here and how it helps reshape the industry.
To learn more about the service and subscribe, visit www.disneyplus.com.
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