Looks like the Mouse House really wants to dethrone Netflix after all.
The Wall Street Journal brings word that Disney’s pursuit of 21st Century Fox and its entertainment assets means that The Defenders, The Punisher, and other Marvel-themed series may be relocated to the company’s in-house streaming platform when it launches in 2019.
This comes only a few days after the Mouse House staked a claim for 21st Century Fox’s assets, though we understand those talks are now on hold. Should the deal go ahead, it would give Disney a serious hand in the increasingly popular streaming game, and the fact that CEO Bob Iger previously confirmed that all Marvel and Star Wars content – two key pillars underpinning the Disney empire – would be yanked off Netflix to prepare for Disney’s unnamed streaming service will certainly give Netflix something to think about.
Without any sign of tangible progress, though, this proposed acquisition is a long way from home. It’s also worth keeping in mind that TWSJ doesn’t specify whether it plans to relocate Daredevil et al., or keep the focus on newly-produced shows. Still, this extract is telling:
After an acquisition, Disney would consolidate its control of all its Marvel characters save for Spider-Man, still at Sony Pictures Entertainment, and could have them appear together in films and TV series.
There’s also mention of Toy Story 4 and Frozen 2 being released on Disney’s unnamed service, so it’s clear the Mouse House wants to seize a huge chunk of the streaming market – even if Netflix holds onto the lion’s share for the foreseeable future.
Assuming a deal falls into place, and Disney relocates The Defenders and Co., will you retain your Netflix subscription? Or follow Marvel’s costumed crusaders over to an entirely new platform? Feel free to speculate with us below.
