Disney’s D23 Expo is over, and it did not disappoint. We learned that Marvel would reunite Game of Thrones costars Richard Madden and Kit Harington in The Eternals, saw new footage from The Rise of Skywalker, and watched the first official trailer for The Mandalorian, a live-action Star Wars show debuting on Disney+ when the streaming platform goes live in November. Disney+ was another big topic at the Expo; we all know we’re going to get it, so we might as well know what we’re getting into.
Entertainment writer Eric Vespe got to demo the streaming platform and tweeted about what he found.
Disney+ launches with over 500 films and over 7,000 episodes of television. You’ll be able to download films and episodic shows to up to 10 devices per account to take with you when you’re not connected to a good internet connection.
— Eric Vespe (@EricVespe) August 24, 2019
Five-hundred films and 7,000 episodes of television to start. At a monthly rate of $6.99 (slightly lower if you pay for the whole year), that’s not a bad deal.
Vespe continued:
I asked about R-rated content, if any of Fox’s more adult fare will make it on to Disney+ and he said that Disney+ will all be PG-13 or softer. I wonder if this will be their weakness that other streaming services can exploit.
— Eric Vespe (@EricVespe) August 24, 2019
“I asked about R-rated content, if any of Fox’s more adult fare will make it on to Disney+ and he said that Disney+ will all be PG-13 or softer.” So that means no Deadpool or Logan on Disney+, even though Disney technically now owns those properties after it bought 20th Century Fox.
That’s kind of disappointing, if not particularly surprising. Disney is pretty careful to keep Star Wars and MCU movies at or below the PG-13 level, although it does put out R-rated content through various affiliates. Companies like Netflix and Amazon are looking for an edge over Disney; maybe their willingness to feature harder stuff could keep them in the game.
Or Disney will just put them somewhere else:
I followed up asking if Fox’s harder edge stuff would end up on Hulu and just got a smile and “that’s a good assumption” in return.
— Eric Vespe (@EricVespe) August 24, 2019
And there you have it: Hulu could be the place where the bad kids hang out. And that way Disney can get people to pay subscriptions for two services. Oh, I can’t wait for this to be a joke in the next Deadpool movie.
We’re still learning of what original programming will be coming to Disney+. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the service will revive the Muppets in a short-form show called Muppets Now, an unscripted series Kermit, Miss Piggy and the rest being their delightful selves. It will be produced by Muppet Studios and features “startling silliness and heartfelt fun,” according to Disney. And not R-rated, of course, although I’d definitely watch if it was.
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h/t The A.V. Club