A new home for original content, catalogue classics and recent/upcoming blockbusters.
Collecting the juggernaut media brands of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic under the one umbrella, Disney Plus begins streaming in New Zealand on November 19.
We’ll be among the first five countries to see this new streaming service that will feature new original content including live-action Star Wars gunfighter series The Mandalorian (created, written and produced by Jon Favreau with episode directors including Taika Waititi and Bryce Dallas Howard) and selections from the Disney-owned catalogue of classics (including 30 seasons of The Simpsons).
Walt Disney Studios will also use Disney Plus as the exclusive streaming service for films released from 2019 onwards, meaning it’ll be the only place to stream titles like Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Toy Story 4, The Lion King, Aladdin and future sure-fire blockbusters like Frozen 2 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
There aren’t a ton of other details officially available at present. A landing page is live, with a countdown and an option to subscribe for updates.
U.S. showbiz bible Variety reports that Disney Plus will cost “$9.99 (New Zealand) per month (or $99.99 per year)” and notes: “at launch, consumers in each market will be able to subscribe to Disney Plus directly or via in-app purchase on the following platforms (with some variations depending on country):
Apple’s iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple TV, and fully integrated with the Apple TV app (customers can subscribe to Disney Plus via in-app purchase);
Google’s Android phones, Android TV devices, Google Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices;
Microsoft Xbox One;
Sony Interactive Entertainment’s PlayStation 4 and all of Sony’s Android-based TVs; and
Roku streaming players and Roku TV models.
There’s no word yet as to whether bundled offerings will be available here, but Variety mentioned in September that customers in the United States will be offered a package of Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu that offers 28% monthly discount compared with buying each of the services separately.
We’ll keep you updated as more info comes to light.
