Disney +: the future after Investor's Day
A struggle in which Warner has also entered with his HBO Max, whose recent policies regarding the proposed catalog have been the subject of curiosity, not least the decision to offer to the subscribers of the service the vision of the awaited Wonder Woman 1984 at the same time as the screening in American cinemas. Such an initiative could have prompted Disney to take similar actions, but what was presented during Investor's Day gave different signals.
Investor's Day 2020: Disney flexes its muscles
Let's face it: how could it be otherwise? Disney can boast ownership of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, the Marvel world and other famous names, such as Alien, thanks to a ferocious acquisition campaign that over the last decade has made it increasingly a centralizing pole. Disney +, from this point of view, was an essential step. The times of distribution agreements are long gone, as happened in the days of Marvel's urban heroes presented on Netflix, Disney has all the tools to be able to act independently, placing itself as a very fearsome competitor.And it is well aware of this. , as Bob Chapek put it bluntly, during the Investor's Day live:
“The incredible success we have achieved with our unique streaming service offering, with more than 137 million subscriptions worldwide, has spurred our confidence in accelerating to a high-end business model. profile. With our incredible creative teams and our ever-growing catalog of high-quality entertainment content that represents what viewers want, we believe we are well placed to achieve our long-term goals "
What was announced during Investor's Day, from the point of view of the offer, seems to be in line with Chapek's thinking. Above all, it seems a moral slap in the face of those who have accused, in the past, Disney + of having a poor catalog compared to the competition, which churns out a series of new proposals with greater frequency. But quantity does not always mean quality, as demonstrated by Netflix, which while presenting interesting productions such as American Elegy and The Queen of Chess, disperses them in a schedule in which bitter disappointments are giant.
Of course, Netflix and Amazon Prime Videos can't boast of strong brands like Disney, which forces them to take more risks. Absurdly, the only recall IP left off the Disney radar is Star Trek, currently shared by the two streaming channels, with Netflix in possession of Discovery and the future New Frontier and Amazon which tells the adventures of the old Jean-Luc Picard in the homonymous series. From a potential point of view, then Disney + seems to have an advantage, given the amount of solid narrative contexts at its disposal, but it should not be forgotten that having a ready fan base also means being subject to a strict and painstaking scrutiny, in which the fan diehard pecks every slightest imperfection and slams it mercilessly in your face.
Read also: Disney all the original films announced at Investor Day 2020
Playing on brands already loyal among fans, in this quest 'optics, is a risk that Disney have accepted with courage, demonstrating that they know how to manage complex narrative universes, giving solidity and daring without desecrating the tenets of continuity.
Star Wars on Disney +
To date, Disney + 's flagship product has been The Mandalorian, the first live action Star Wars series, which launched the major streaming service. A sensational debut, capable of forgiving the criticisms that followed the last film trilogy of the saga created by George Lucas, rekindling an incredible passion for the distant galaxy. The Mandalorian is a product that, in light of what Shown on Investor's Day, it was used beautifully as a hub on which to restart the world of Star Wars. Ahsoka Tano has reappeared in The Jedi, and her series is announced in which Rosario Dawson will return to take on the role of the togruta. But at the same time, other series have been presented that will expand this complex and varied narrative universe, with some titles that have made fans roll the eyes (in Obi-Wan there will also be Darth Vader, do we realize?), And which will be accompanied from films that will continue this exploration. And the writer has high expectations for Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron.
Sure getting strong with an IP like Star Wars may seem easy, but the debacle of the latest films in theaters has shown how tough fans are pure of the Force are ready to challenge hard. Therefore, venturing into such an undertaking is also a risk, especially now that the Canon, the official and untouchable chronological order of the Star Wars myth, is the axiom that must never be violated. The success of The Mandalorian, thanks to the duo Favreau-Filoni, has given new life to the saga and confidence, both in the spectators and in Disney, which after demonstrating that the Force still flows powerful in her has all the credentials to venture towards new horizons of the saga.
An evolution that will unfold both in the serial and in the cinematographic sector. The Marvel and Star Wars announcements (the most anticipated, let's face it) have reiterated that Disney does not intend to migrate its production to direct to stream, but still cares about cinemas.
The future Disney + is in the House of Ideas
For ten years, Disney has spoiled us with a long saga dedicated to Marvel superheroes, reaffirming a bond with the characters of the House of Ideas that has created a fertile ground for new productions that expand and consolidate this relationship.The real challenge of the MCU, which will be played more in the serial sector than in that, will be to be able to undertake a convincing narrative evolution. A series, let's be honest, has a lot more breathing room to do it than a movie, as they must have thought in Disney. If we also add to this the complex and subtle redefinition of the concept of 'room' when talking about cinema, expanding one's serial offer from an MCU perspective has an even more precious value.
The MCU is orphan of a figure charismatic like Tony Stark? No problem, Disney + brings in the heirs of Tin Head,, Riri Williams and James Rhodes, with two series: Ironheart and Armor Wars. Did Cap choose to enjoy the well-deserved rest in the life he always wanted? Bravo Rogers, the shield passes to Sam Wilson who together with Bucky Barnes (aka Winter Soldier) becomes the protagonist of the future The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
And we are talking about the most anticipated series as a direct emanation of the MCU seen so far, but let's get ready for an authentic invasion of Marvel branded series, from WandaVision to Hawkeye, from She Hulk to Moon Knight, passing through Secret Invasion. And of course, Loki.
Disney +: the new king of entertainment streaming?
Although she was one of the first to experiment with the passage of her films on streaming, when problems related to pandemic, Disney has specified that the films expected in theaters will arrive in theaters as announced. An important signal, which at the moment foresees only one release in advance on Disney + (Raya) compared to the screening in the hall. This decision could be dictated by the fact that it is currently difficult to schedule a cinema release in March, given that the pandemic is still an element to consider, and that the direct to stream experience with Mulan, who share the target audience with Raya , proved Disney's intuition right.The major's streaming channel was obviously the star of this Investor's Day, considering that a strong signal was needed about its future. Too many accusations of a catalog still below the competition, which was made strong only by the aforementioned The Mandalorian and lacking other exciting titles.
With the introduction of projects related not only to the world of Marvel and Star Wars , the streaming channel is launching towards a progressive diversification of its users. The renewal of It's always sunny in Philadelphia and I Racconti dell'Ancella or the announcement of a series dedicated to Alien are promising ideas, which allow us to envisage an evolution of Disney + towards a varied identity, in which they can feel at home different. types of spectators.
Spectators who are also seen from a geographical point of view. The introduction of two series created by Pan-African authors is an important sign of openness on the part of Disney, a message of inclusiveness which, while on the one hand represents an international recognition of the validity of Pan-African culture, on the other it can be translated into a 'more cynical perspective, in the search for a wider audience of subscribers, who, feeling finally represented, could trust Disney streaming.
This paradigm shift of Disney + also pushes to overturn what had been the distinctive trait of the Disney streaming service, namely its being an essentially family offer. This evolution has led to the appearance of Star, an integrated service in which exclusive content from 20th Century, Disney Television Studios and FX will be presented, with a particular focus on productions suitable for a mature audience. If the core business of Disney + is a service aimed at families, Star will be oriented to a more focused target, as content that is currently unavailable due to its adult connotation (such as Deadpool) will find space in it.
That that emerged from Investor's Day, once the amazement and enthusiasm of enthusiasts have been absorbed, is that the Disney business model, which aims to establish itself as the reference brand of entertainment, once again flexes its muscles and does not go down to compromise. If Disney has strong intellectual property in its hands, it turns it into a money machine, squeezes every drop of it to make a useful, more than understandable choice from a commercial perspective, but which in the past has also shown limits (see the latest trilogy of Star Wars).
However, Disney must be recognized for having learned how to find a balance between commercial exploitation and quality of content, which finds a fundamental trait in respecting the setting. When Chapek talks about amazing creative teams he is not exaggerating, at the moment in Disney in addition to creativity there is a control from the production point of view that also includes respect for the treated product, as done with the draconian but necessary introduction of the Canon in Star Wars, which is configured as a form of respect for the final user. On the other hand, a satisfied customer will be reluctant not to renew the subscription.
It will be interesting, in the wake of Investor's Day announcements, to see the moves of Disney's competitors in the streaming market. 2021 promises to be an interesting year for home entertainment, with Disney appearing willing to reaffirm its role as leader in the entertainment sector. For his opponents, very interesting times lie ahead.
You can experience the adventures of Star Wars, Marvel heroes and other fantastic characters by signing up for a subscription to Disney +
