Disney

Disney+ has a new adorable short film for ‘The Mandalorian’ and ‘Spirited Away’ fans • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 14, 2022Posted in Disney, Media & Entertainment, streaming serviceNo Comments

Disney+’s adorable new short film, “Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies,” premiered on Saturday, November 12. From Lucasfilm and Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli, the hand-drawn short film will excite many fans as it features Grogu–a.k.a Baby Yoda or The Child–from the “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian” and the coal dust bunnies from “Spirited Away.” The streamer released the three-minute movie to celebrate the streaming service’s third birthday and the debut of “The Mandalorian” in 2019. When “The Mandalorian” first premiered, it quickly became a signature series for Disney+– mostly because viewers were entranced by the cuteness of Grogu. Its second season drew in 14.5 billion minutes of viewership for the year 2020, per Nielsen. The third season of “The Mandalorian” has a February 2023 release date. In addition to the success of “The Mandalorian,” Miyazaki’s award-winning “Spirited Away” continues to resonate with audiences worldwide. “Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies” is a delightful blend of two titles that many viewers will enjoy. Last week, Disney+ reported a total of 164.2 million global subscribers in Q4, an increase of 12 million subscribers from 152.1 million in the third quarter. The company’s large subscriber base is in part due to its many “Star Wars” series like “Andor,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “The Book of Boba Fett,” among others. Disney+ recently became the exclusive international home for new episodes of the popular British show “Doctor Who” in 150+ markets, including the U.S.

Disney+ reaches 164.2M subscribers as it prepares for ad-supported tier launch • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 8, 2022Posted in Disney, Disney Plus, Media & Entertainment, streaming serviceNo Comments

Disney reported results for the final quarter of its 2022 fiscal year today, revealing a total of 164.2 million Disney+ global subscribers, an increase of 12 million subs from 152.1 million in Q3. The flagship streaming service was only expected to gain 9.35 million subs. Across Disney’s streaming services, Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ had a combined total of 235.7 million subscribers, up from 221 million in the third quarter. The company beat expectations of 233.8 million. “2022 was a strong year for Disney, with some of our best storytelling yet… and outstanding subscriber growth at our direct-to-consumer services, which added nearly 57 million subscriptions this year for a total of more than 235 million,” said Bob Chapek, chief executive officer, The Walt Disney Company, in the letter to shareholders. The company overtook rival Netflix for a second time, despite Netflix reaching 223.09 million global subscribers during its third quarter. Disney previously decreased its 2024 guidance for the global Disney+ subscriber total last quarter to between 215 million and 245 million. The prior target was between 230 million to 260 million. ESPN+ reported 24.3 million subscribers, a slight increase from 22.8 million. Hulu only gained 1 million subscribers, bringing the new total from 46.2 million to 47.2 million. However, the company fell short of expectations for total revenue, which was reported to be $20.15 billion. Wall Street estimated that Disney would report a 15% year-on-year jump in revenue to $21.3 billion. The direct-to-consumer division lost $1.5 billion. “We expect our DTC operating losses to narrow going forward and that Disney+ will still achieve profitability in fiscal 2024, assuming we do not see a meaningful shift in the economic climate,” Chapek added. As the company looks for more ways to earn revenue, Disney increased subscription prices for Disney+, Hulu, Hulu Live TV bundles and ESPN+ plans. Disney+ is also set to launch a cheaper ad-supported version on December 8, over a month after Netflix launched its ad-free plan. Earlier this month, Disney+ announced it’s testing an exclusive merch shop for subscribers, which could be another revenue stream for the company. The test allows select Disney+ subscribers in the U.S. to buy exclusive merchandise and gain early access to products from brands like Star Wars, Marvel, Disney Animation Studios and Pixar. Meanwhile, the company is exploring ways to engage Disney+ subscribers and reach new audiences. For instance, Disney+ recently became the exclusive international home for new episodes of “Doctor Who” in more than 150 markets, including the U.S. There are now 46.4 million domestic subscribers, according to today’s earnings release. The streamer also experimented with augmented reality in September, launching its first AR app that connects directly to content on the Disney+ platform. “Remembering” stars “Captain Marvel” Brie Larson and features a companion AR app that iOS users can download to watch an extension of the short film on the small screen. We guess that the company will roll out more AR-enabled features in the future to set itself apart from competitors.

Disney+ becomes the international home for new seasons of ‘Doctor Who’ • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 25, 2022Posted in BBC, Disney, Doctor Who, Media & Entertainment, streaming serviceNo Comments

Disney and the BBC announced today that Disney+ will be the new exclusive home outside of the U.K. and Ireland for the hit British sci-fi series “Doctor Who.” Beginning 2023, new episodes of the series will be released on the platform in over 150 markets, including the United States. BBC will continue to host the series in the U.K. and Ireland. It’s safe to say that the company is hoping Whovians, new and old, will flock to Disney+ to get their “Doctor Who” fix. Bringing the popular British show to the streamer is a smart move for Disney+ as it hopes to reach 215-245 million subscribers by 2024. Disney+ also plans to expand the streaming service to over 160 countries by next year. In June, the streaming service launched in 16 markets across the Middle East and North Africa. Disney+ president Alisa Bowen said in a statement, “We’re excited by the opportunity to bring new seasons of this beloved franchise exclusively to Disney+ and introduce the show to the next generation of audiences in more than 150 markets around the world. The series is a perfect addition to our ever-growing catalog of global content that continues to make Disney+ the home for exceptional storytelling.” “Doctor Who” will return in November 2023. To celebrate the show’s 60th anniversary, David Tennant, who was the 10th Doctor, will reprise his role as the 14th doctor, replacing the 13th doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker. The next Doctor will be played by “Sex Education” actor Ncuti Gatwa, who will take over after Tennant.

Marvel drops first trailer for ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 24, 2022Posted in Disney, marvel, Media & Entertainment, streaming serviceNo Comments

Marvel released the first trailer for “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” today, which gives fans a look at Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror and, for some reason, Bill Murray. The superhero movie will premiere in theaters on February 17, 2023. Disney told ZebethMedia that the film would likely stream on Disney+, but there’s no confirmed release date yet. The company has previously stated that films will get a 45-day theatrical window before they hit the streaming service. As an exception, Disney waited two months to release “Thor: Love and Thunder” since September 8 is Disney+ Day. We estimate that “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” will launch on the service around April 2023. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” kicks off Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will explore Ant-Man/Scott Lang (Rudd), the Wasp (Evangeline Lilly), Lang’s now older daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton), along with the original Wasp, Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) getting sucked into the Quantum Realm. The trailer also shows Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, the time-traveling supervillain who was seen in the Disney+ series “Loki” as an alternate version named ‘He Who Remains.’ Toward the end of the trailer, viewers will spot actor Bill Murray, a peculiar choice for inclusion in the trailer at this moment since multiple allegations of misconduct have been made against him. Murray’s role in the film is unknown.

Disney launches web3 experience to celebrate 100 years of Disney music • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on October 21, 2022Posted in Disney, Media & Entertainment, the walt disney company, virtual storefront, web3No Comments

Disney collaborated with Accelerator participant, Obsess, an e-commerce platform known for creating interactive virtual storefronts, to release a new web3 experience for its Disney Music Emporium online store. The 3D 360 virtual experience lets fans discover soundtracks and songs from popular Disney films and TV shows by clicking on various vinyl records and CDs throughout the virtual space. The web3 experience launched this week to give Disney fans access to a virtual storefront with individual displays that highlight various soundtracks from Disney movies and shows like “Encanto,” “Wandavision,” “Turning Red,” “Tomorrowland,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Star Wars,” “The Lion King Musical,” and more. Users can click throughout the site to learn about specific titles, listen to music and add CDs or records to their online cart. To celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary—which occurs in 2023—users can also click through a musical timeline titled “Disney100: The Wonder of Disney Music” to enjoy a century of music from fan-favorite titles, such as the 1928 debut of Mickey and Minnie Mouse in “Steamboat Willie,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in 1937, “Fantasia” in 1940, “Moana” in 2016 and so forth. “We are excited to collaborate with Obsess to launch an exciting new shopping experience for our Disney Music Emporium store. As we prepare to celebrate 100 years of Disney, this is the perfect way to create discovery and fun for our guests,” said Ken Bunt, President of Disney Music Group, in a statement. In June, Disney launched its business development program, 2022 Disney Accelerator, to develop new entertainment experiences with select tech companies, particularly in the web3 industry. Obsess is just one company Disney selected to participate in the program. Other web3 platforms participating in the Accelerator include Flickplay, Polygon and Lockerverse. Disney has reportedly been exploring another shopping experience that involves a QR code for users to scan in the Disney+ app and buy merchandise. Also today, media company Warner Bros launched its own web3 experience to sell NFTs to “Lord of the Rings” fans.