Netflix's reign in the streaming space is a highly coveted spot. No surprise, then, that Amazon, Hulu, and many other streaming-focused companies are making aggressive inroads to get to where Netflix is.
Disney, poised to be a new player in this space with its Disney+ service, launching sometime this fall, looks like it's going to get there first. With a severely dense library of content under its belt, Disney will have no shortage of films and shows to offer once its on-demand service launches. The company has been secretive about Disney+ so far, but now it's clear it's pulling out all the stops to dethrone Netflix.
Disney+ Motion Picture Library
According to CEO Bob Iger, as Polygon reports, Disney+ will have "the entire Disney motion picture library." It doesn't take a genius to figure that Disney's cache of content is massive. But just for some perspective, the catalog dates all the way back to 1920s and boasts films that are ingrained in society's psyche to this day: Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Zootopia, Frozen — and those are barely scratching the surface.
The move represents a stark aberration from Disney tradition. Typically, Disney has only made individual titles available on home video for limited stretches of time. For instance, it'll release DVDs and Blu-Rays of The Little Mermaid until units have sold through, then it's back to the so-called Disney Vault again.
Disney+ will change all that.
"[M]ovies that you speak of that traditionally have been kept in a 'vault' and brought out basically every few years will be on the service," said Iger in an investor meeting.
Original Content
Homegrown content is the bread and butter of any streaming service. Netflix has Stranger Things, Orange Is the New Black, and a ton more compelling content, many of which are a large part of why fans keep on paying the monthly fee.
However robust Disney's library is, it knows it can't rest on past laurels forever, which is why it's investing on original content as well.
"[O]f course, we're producing a number of original movies and original television shows as well that will be Disney-branded."
