Since its initial founding in 1997, Netflix has grown to dominate the media, shape the way that people watch television at home and redefine streaming. Even amongst the release of other streaming services like Hulu and Amazon Prime, Netflix has continued to maintain its large user base and release unique and interesting original content. But will this all change when the “House of Mouse” enters the streaming service competition next month?
After sitting out of the streaming game for years, Disney is finally launching their own service titled Disney+ on Nov. 12. Stacked with thousands of movies and series, Disney’s new streaming service is no joke and acts as a serious threat to Netflix (a company nearly $13 billion in debt). Not only will Disney+ launch with its own assortment of original content, but it will also eventually be stripping away all Disney-owned shows and movies from Netflix (a large portion of the content currently available) to bring to their own service.
Disney began testing their streaming service in the Netherlands back in mid-September and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback since. While Netflix generally maintains a high reputation, users have recently voiced their frustrations over the removal of popular shows and increasing monthly prices for the service. Currently the platform’s standard plan with HD quality (its most popular offering) clocks in at $12.99 a month, compared to the planned $6.99 a month for Disney+.
Even though Disney+ is only half the price of Netflixs’ standard plan, the company made it clear that there wouldn’t be any shortage of new and interesting content on the platform. Boasting media new and old from Walt Disney Studios, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and even National Geographic, Disney+ will focus on more family-friendly outings compared to Netflix and will include a variety of live-action and animated features for users to enjoy. Highlights among this lineup include “The Mandalorian”, the gritty new television show set in the Star Wars universe, a “Monsters Inc.” spinoff series from Pixar, and eight new Marvel shows tying in directly to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
To combat against this impressive lineup, Netflix has also upped their game with a slate of new original content planned for the future. This month alone Netflix dropped major projects such as season three of the adult animated sitcom “Big Mouth” and the highly anticipated “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.” The company also recently renewed one of its most popular shows “Stranger Things” for a fourth season and plans to drop the new fantasy drama “The Witcher” in December. These shows come in addition to the nearly one thousand already-existing originals available on the platform (many of which have won Emmy Awards).
While it is clear that there is no shortage of content on either side of the spectrum, is Netflix doing enough to keep up with Disney + (and are they justified in charging twice the amount)? Netflix has held its reign on the industry for the past decade, but now it might be time for a new streaming service to take the throne. Although the future of the streaming world is hazy, it is clear that Netflix will need to continue to step up their act with a new major player entering the game.
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