The inevitable has happened as movies culled from Disney’s streaming platform appear as VOD releases elsewhere.
We all knew it was coming but it still doesn’t leave a particularly good taste in your mouth. Films that were unceremoniously pulled from Disney’s streaming platform have begun to appear as video-on-demand releases on other platforms, according to The Wrap. That of course means that films like Artemis Fowl and Cheaper By The Dozen (the recent remake) which at one point came as part of your Disney+ subscription, are now only available to view via additional purchasing.
On the plus side, at least they’re available again. On the downside, it’s hard to forget that Disney has forked out over $2bn in what are called ‘content impairment charges’ to remove over 50 shows and films from its Disney+ service over the last year.
To frame it in a wider context, the move follows in the wake of programming cutbacks, announced price rises for the service, not to mention password-sharing crackdowns at some point in the future. It’s a strategy that looks set to significantly alter the platform’s value proposition moving forwards as Disney and its leader Bob Iger struggle to figure out how to emulate market leader Netflix in making streaming profitable.
Speaking of Iger, Bloomberg has revealed a report today in which the outlet cites sources claiming the Disney chief is feeling ‘overwhelmed and exhausted’ following Disney’s tough 2023. The company is facing a number of challenges, not least the underperformance of most of its 2023 theatrical slate. For a company that’s bathed in billion dollar grossing films for much of the last decade or so,
The company certainly has its work cut out for it but righting a ship as colossal as Disney will of course take time. We’ll bring you more on this story as we hear it.
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