Even though its debut is still a few months away, fans of the House of Mouse have been eagerly anticipating the launch of Disney Plus, the brand new streaming service that’s set to compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime. While those two platforms, in particular, provide access to thousands of movies – with some dating all the way back to the 1940s – Disney’s upcoming subscription-based service is going to offer almost every major film from the company’s rich history, which includes the likes of Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars.
Of course, this means that some fan-favorite films will be leaving Netflix. For example, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has already been taken down, and Thor: Ragnarok leaves on December 6th. The last Marvel movie scheduled to remain is Ant-Man and the Wasp, which is due to leave July 29th, 2020. For better or worse, you’ll need to subscribe to Disney Plus to watch your favorite Star Wars and MCU flicks, though it seems not all hope is lost.
As reported by Bloomberg (via EpicStream), the House of Mouse’s current deal with Netflix stipulates that any films which were put up for streaming between 2016 and 2018 will be made available again a few years down the line. The movies should return beginning in 2026, meaning they’ll be made available for viewing exclusively on Disney Plus for six or seven years.
So, which films fall under the purview of this odd contractual obligation? Bloomberg suggests that Captain America: Civil War, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, and Avengers: Infinity War could make their way back to Netflix after 2026. Similarly, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, Rogue One, and Solo might go down the same path.
While most hardcore Star Wars and Marvel fans will likely subscribe to Disney Plus in order to watch The Mandalorian and Loki, this is certainly good news for Netflix customers who are unwilling to shell out for yet another subscription service.
