Anyone looking to stream a Disney film on Netflix should get their fill while they still can. Soon, we'll all be poor unfortunate souls, because the House of Mouse is pulling all of its films from the streaming service, with plans to offer them on a brand-new platform of its own.
Don't rush to hoard Blu-rays and save those hard-earned Disney pounds just yet: It won't go down until 2019. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney's CEO, Bob Iger, said the decision is "a strategic shift in the way we distribute our content."
The move will affect all Disney and Pixar films. That means those repeated viewings of Moana and Monsters University will no longer be a possibility. Fans of Disney flicks are probably used to being let down, however, since many of the studio's classic animated features aren't on Netflix anyway.
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Looking for The Little Mermaid, Mulan, or Pocahontas? No matter how many menu-related riverbends you manoeuvre, you won't find them. Netflix only offers up more recent releases, so the move will be harder to take for kiddos growing up accustomed to instant access to Cars films and the Shakira-laced world of Zootropolis. It's not just animation, either: Cool Runnings, The Mighty Ducks, and Honey I Shrunk the Kids are Disney properties, too.
THR notes that Iger didn't specifically mention Marvel or Star Wars films, so it's still possible that fans can binge on those films after the introduction of Disney's new service. It's also safe to assume that Marvel's made-for-Netflix series, such as Daredevil and Jessica Jones, will still be distributed through the streaming service.
Before the Disney-dedicated service debuts, the company will showcase an all-new ESPN streaming service, too. THR adds that analysts had already predicted that ESPN would have a standalone platform since the TV network has been losing subscribers for several years and is looking for a way to bring sports broadcasts to viewers on the go.
So enjoy those Disney movies while you can, because like all things coming from Mickey and Co., you can be sure the new service won't be cheap.