Disney+ set to take on Netflix

Disney is banking on their Star Wars, and Marvel franchises to make magic for their entry into streaming services.

By Mickie Shaw, Multimedia Editor

Photo Courtesy of The Walt Disney Company

Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+ will be launching November 12, with content from the entertainment giant’s enormous library of films, shows, cable channels, as well as new original series, feature-length films, documentaries and short-form content.

Disney’s two biggest franchises, Marvel and Star Wars, are anchoring the Disney+ programming lineup. The trailer for the first ever live-action Star Wars series titled “The Mandalorian,” staring Pedro Pascal as the deadly bounty hunter, premiered at D23, Disney’s expo and fan event, to an excited crowd in August. A still unnamed Kenobi Star Wars series, and a spin off series from the “Star Wars: Rogue One” film will be joining Disney+ in the future.

Starting this year, Disney+ will exclusively stream all of Disney Studios’ films, including: “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” “Captain Marvel,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Toy Story 4,” “The Lion King” and “Aladdin.”

Content from Disney properties Pixar, National Geographic and 21st Century Fox’s lengthy list of films and shows will all be available on Disney+.

Marvel will have several new shows including: “Falcon and the Winter Soldier"series, with Anthony Mackie reprising his role as Falcon, and Sebastian Stan again filling the boots of the Winter Soldier and “Loki” staring Tom Hiddleston returning as the conniving Loki.

Photo Courtesy of Lucasfilm

Disney’s Star Wars franchise will stream in addition to Mandalorian a new season of the hit animated series “Clone Wars.”

Disney+ original content will include the “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” and the new live action films “Lady and the Tramp,” “Noelle,” “Togo,” "Timmy Failure,” and “Stargirl.”

Fox family favorites will also be available including: “The Sound of Music,” “Malcolm in the Middle,” and the entire 30 season run of “The Simpsons.”

The Muppets will be back in a new short-form series “Muppets Now.”

As the newest player on the growing block of streaming services, Disney’s press release is promising Disney+ will be, “The ultimate streaming destination for movies and shows.” The service will offer its dynamic content ad free, and will challenge the internet behemoth Netflix, and other streaming services such as Apple and Amazon for the streaming service pot of gold.

The knife fight with Netflix started when Disney made the first move by removing its Lucasfilm, Marvel and Pixar content from the popular streaming service.

A Business Insider article reported Morgan Stanley believes Disney+ will be bigger than Netflix in five years.

Disney+ will cost $6.77 a month. A bundled package including ESPN+ and Hulu, Disney is the majority owner of Hulu, will be $12.99 per month.

Disney+ will be the third of Disney’s streaming services. ESPN+ launched in 2018. Disney is planning extensive growth of Disney+ into international markets over the next two years.