DisneyNetflix officials will likely be shaking in their boots after Disney announced it will offer a bundle combining Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu on its upcoming streaming service.
The company revealed the news during their third-quarter earnings call with Wall Street analysts yesterday (August 6) and it’s perfect for fans of all three platforms as the combined bundle will save them money, as opposed to having three separate subscriptions.
Individual plans for Disney+, ESPN+ and the basic tier of Hulu cost $6.99, $4.99, and $5.99 respectively, so being able to access all three for Disney’s price of $12.99 will save customers $5 each billing cycle.
PexelsWhile it’s great news for TV fans it’s not so good for Netflix, whose most popular subscription also costs $12.99. Disney’s promise for extra content means the streaming service will really be feeling the pressure when it comes to competing for subscribers.
Disney+ is set to offer every film the company has ever made as well as a number of new original movies, television shows, and original content from both the Star Wars and Marvel franchises. Yesterday, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced there would also be a ‘reimagination’ of some older franchises, including Home Alone, Night at the Museum and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Twentieth Century FoxAccording to the ESPN+ website, their service offers users the opportunity to pause and rewind live sports and has full-game replays on demand, while Hulu is home to shows and movies such as The Handmaid’s Tale, Empire, Saturday Night Live and Modern Family.
Together, the three platforms will offer entertainment for the whole family.
The bundle offer will take effect with the launch of Disney+ on November 12, though according to Deadline the plan to unify the three services has been in the works for some time.
This #Hulu #Disney merger will be a game changer
— MulatoMan (@ManMulato) August 7, 2019
Disney CEO Bob Iger has called the combination ‘three legs of the stool’ and when discussing the streaming service said ‘nothing is more important to us than getting this right’.
Variety report Iger also disclosed Disney is in talks with major brands like Apple, Amazon and Google to distribute Disney+, a move which would rapidly spread the streaming service far and wide.
He said:
We think it’s important to achieve scale relatively quickly and they’ll be an important part of that.
All Disney kids movies and original MCU shows + Sports + HULU for $12.99 RIP Netflix pic.twitter.com/y4PVXUBekz
— Angel Chavez 🌴🌴🌴 (@Wormeaful) August 6, 2019
Disney has reportedly forecast rapid growth for its streaming services, with Disney+ predicted to have 60 to 90 million global subscribers by fiscal 2024, most of them outside of the US.
The company believe Hulu will have 40 million to 60 million subscribers by 2024 while ESPN+ is on pace for 12 million.
It will be interesting to see how the launch of the streaming service affects its competitors.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.