Anticipate Multiple Disney Films Priced at $30 in Future
Disney's Streaming Success: What Lies Ahead?
Disney+ has left viewers in awe, beating subscriber expectations by a mile. During a recent corporate meeting, Disney execs revealed their ambition to keep that momentum going, and they're more than willing to invest in top-notch content to make it happen. But before you pop the champagne, you might have to open your wallet a bit wider.
The ongoing pandemic has taken a toll on Disney's themes parks, resulting in reduced capacity and safety protocols. However, Disney+ has emerged as a silver lining, surpassing expectations with a whopping 73 million subscribers as of October 2022.
"The future of our company lies in our direct-to-consumer business," stated Bob Chapek, CEO of The Walt Disney Company. "We're ecstatic to report that Disney+ has more than 73 million paid subscribers, surpassing our initial expectations in its first year."
In addition to Disney+, the company boasts 120 million paid subscribers across its streaming services, including ESPN and Hulu. With ambitious expansion plans and an arsenal of exclusive content, that number is projected to skyrocket even further.
Investing in new content is a key strategy to attract new subscribers, and Disney+ executives made it clear they're more than ready to throw some cash to make that happen. And while they didn't explicitly say so, it's safe to assume that bigger titles, like those initially destined for the big screen, will come at an additional cost.
Disney's foray into premium video on demand (PVOD) with Mulan has been a success, despite the stir caused by its release. The company was pleased with the results and indicated that more $30 Disney movies might find their way to the platform if theaters continue to stay closed.
Although the company remained tight-lipped about upcoming PVOD titles, Mulan's release boosted the Disney+ app installations by a staggering 68%, suggesting Disney might be eager to capitalize on the trend. With the end of the pandemic still a distant dream and a slew of new titles on the horizon, it's hard not to imagine Disney milking this opportunity to extract a pretty penny for their newest releases.
In light of our willingness to pay for premium content, Disneys decision to charge us a pretty penny for their new movies seems like a no brainer. But let's face it, Trolls World Tour raked in an impressive $95 million during its first three weeks as a PVOD release. So, forget Black Widow's theatrical debut, it seems Disney might just be waiting for the perfect moment to pull the PVOD trigger.
[1] Decider. (2022, October 12). How To Sign Up For Disney+ and Hulu (and Why You Should). Retrieved from https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/how-to-sign-up-for-disney-and-hulu-and-why-you-should[2] CNET. (2022, April 8). Disney+: Price, packages, deals, and what you get. Retrieved from https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/disney-plus-price-packages-deals-and-what-you-get/[3] TechRadar. (2022, October 15). Disney Plus price and plans explained: how much does Disney Plus cost? Retrieved from https://www.techradar.com/news/disney-plus-price-plans-and-how-to-sign-up[4] Variety. (2024, October 14). Disney+ Prices Will Rise in October 2024. Retrieved from https://variety.com/2024/biz/news/disney-plus-price-hike-1235220368/
- In the near future, Disney+ executives are planning to invest in top-notch content to sustain the streaming service's success, which might necessitate a further substantial investment from subscribers.
- The ongoing coronavirus pandemic, leading to Disney's theme park closures, has shifted the company's focus towards its direct-to-consumer business, such as Disney+, and premium video on demand (PVOD).
- The success of Disney's PVOD release of Mulan and the boost in Disney+ app installations suggest the company might explore the PVOD model further, potentially charging higher prices for upcoming new releases.
- To fully capitalize on the PVOD opportunity and making higher earnings, Disney could delay the theatrical release of highly-anticipated films like Black Widow and instead, release them on their streaming platform to maximize revenue during the pandemic.
