After a year or more of rumors and discussion, details about the new Disney streaming service are finally available. For one low price, users get access to Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus.
According to a CBS News report, the bundle costs $12.99, which is more than two times the cost that Disney projected for its Disney Plus service alone back in April. However, the combination of the three popular streaming services will save consumers roughly $5 per month if they choose to bundle instead of purchase each one alone. Individually, Disney Plus costs $6.99 monthly.
“That bundle that we’re creating, that $12.99 bundle, where you can buy all three offers consumers tremendous volume, tremendous quality and tremendous variety for a good price,” said Walt Disney Co. CEO Robert Iger.
In a CNBC interview, Iger revealed the company plans to sign up as many subscribers as quickly as possible, which is why the company decided to create the bundle. Not only will it allow customers to enjoy Disney offerings, it will also bring a broader audience to Hulu. More eyes on Hulu will help grow the brand’s revenue stream from ads. For those who like to watch Hulu without ads, Disney does not plan to offer that option with this bundle.
The Disney CEO believes there is plenty of room for Disney Plus and its new bundle to exist alongside Netflix. The package is similarly priced to Netflix’s most popular service. According to Iger, the company is not attempting to compete with Netflix. Instead, Disney hopes to occupy a new space with a different type of product than what Netflix offers its subscribers. Disney does not, however, plan to make any more immediate content acquisitions to help push the new service. It acquired Fox in March after a long negotiation.
#DisneyPlus Will Reboot Four Fox Movie Franchises – https://t.co/SdthtJ8niH pic.twitter.com/JaEUKIUdUE
— Screen Rant (@screenrant) August 7, 2019
The new service is a must-have for Disney fans because the company’s films from 2019 onward will only be available through Disney Plus. None of them will be offered on Netflix or Amazon Prime streaming services. Disney Plus launches on November 12. Movies like Avengers: Endgame , Toy Story 4 , and Star Wars Episode IX will only be available to stream on the new service when they are released.
Disney Plus also plans to reboot four popular movie franchises on the platform. People reported that Home Alone , Night at the Museum , Diary of a Wimpy Kid , and Cheaper by the Dozen will get remakes.
“We’re also focused on leveraging Fox’s vast library of great titles to further enrich the content mix on our DTC platforms [Disney+ and Hulu],” Iger told reporters. “We see great long-term value in the broad collection of theatrical IP we acquired from Fox.”