News Section Logo NEWS - Return to news section

 

Disney: We're Not Trying to Kill Netflix

Posted by: , 18:40 AEDT, Fri February 23, 2018

Permanent Link     Add Comments
submit to reddit
Disney's new streaming platform will not be competing with Netflix head-on
News story feature image
Image/Photo Credit: Marvel

Disney's chief strategy officer has allayed concerns that the studio's upcoming streaming product will be in direct competition with Netflix.

In August of last year, Disney announced that it was ending its agreement with Netflix and will be launching its own standalone streaming platform, tentatively scheduled for launch in 2019. Under the current deal which expires at the end of the year, Netflix has exclusive access to Disney content, including content from Marvel and Lucasfilm. This meant that movies such as "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" and "Black Panther" will find a home on Netflix, usually 3-6 months after they debut on home video.

With Disney's decision to absorb fellow studio Fox, this could lead to Netflix losing a swathe of content, and would position Disney's streaming platform as a Netflix killer.

But this, Disney's Kevin Mayer says, is not the intention behind the yet unnamed streaming service.

"I personally like Netflix. They've got a great product," said Mayer. "They do exceedingly well in the marketplace. What we're doing, we're not trying to hurt or kill Netflix."

Disney CEO Bob Iger also clarified the status of Disney's content on Netflix following the end of the agreement. Iger says that Netflix will still have rights to Disney films that were made in the last few years "for quite a long period of time thereafter", suggesting that only new films will be excluded from Netflix's library from 2019 onwards.

Iger also reiterated the desire for the new streaming service to not compete with Netflix as it will not have "substantially less volume" of content compared to Netflix. As a result, Iger expects the new service's pricing to also be "substantially below Netflix". 

[via Polygon]


Comments:

Related News:

News Icon Disney Sues Redbox for Selling Digital Copy Codes

posted by: Sean F, 18:11 AEDT, Thu December 7, 2017

News Icon New Research Shows Netflix Won't End Piracy

posted by: Sean F, 15:46 AEDT, Sat December 2, 2017

News Icon Disney Reveals Hackers May Have Stolen Unreleased Film

posted by: Sean F, 17:06 AEST, Sat May 20, 2017

News Icon Redbox, Disney Lawsuit: Redbox Claims Disney Stifling Competition

posted by: Sean F, 14:12 AEDT, Sat February 3, 2018

News Icon Disney Finally Commits to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, First Release Named

posted by: Sean F, 17:13 AEST, Thu July 6, 2017