Fans Are Disappointed That Disney+ Is Making Another Huge Mistake With Its Content Choices
Perhaps Disney+ has to place a caveat warning label on their site now after the platform decided to remove a few movies that had members seething. After prior months of buildup in Disney saying they’d have everything they own in one place for all time, they seem to be reneging some on their word.
Recently, they removed several titles without explanation, even though the likely hidden reason is those films are still under streaming contracts elsewhere. Disney apparently wrangled deals to allow them to stream on their platform temporarily before having to remove them again.
Many users are asking what the point of this move was when it appears Disney is reviving their old vault trick they once used with their DVD’s. Would they go back to this process again so audiences don’t take the Disney classics for granted?
The titles removed will likely be back before the year’s over
Those wondering which titles Disney removed should know it was popular films like Home Alone, The Sandlot, and the original 1967 Dr. Dolittle. These were all 20th Century Fox products, so one would think Disney has the right to do whatever they wanted with them.
Some of these titles reportedly still have pending contracts for other streaming sites like Netflix and others. However, as seen with other streaming contracts, they’re very temporary. Many of those will be expiring either this year or next.
Disney had to face the same issue when Netflix had streaming rights to several Star Wars film. Somehow, the Mouse House found a way to bring The Last Jedi to Disney+ just before the release of The Rise of Skywalker. Now audiences can watch all eight episodes, albeit maybe temporarily.
Perhaps TLJ will disappear as well soon if the deal Disney made was temporary to use as a way to create anticipation for TRoS. Fear not, though, because by this time next year, most of those streaming contracts will be played out.
There may be more titles disappearing throughout the year
Since Disney had a lot of titles that were under streaming contracts, it’s hard to know what might still disappear soon. Many not in the know about those streaming deals will assume Disney is just utilizing their old vault process where they only released their classics for limited times.
No one should count out the thought of Disney resuming their old concept. Outside of them promising everything in one place for seeming streaming eternity, a lot of media analysts are starting to warn about saving one’s physical media.
They’re more than right. It’s impossible to know what the future of streaming will be in any quadrant of media, including Disney. In a time when cyber-terrorism could also strike at any time, imagine a site like Disney+ being shut down for months at a time due to a DDoS attack.
Owning favorite Disney films on Blu-Ray may not be the most perfect solution in a time when streaming is offering superior 4K imagery. Regardless, having them in one’s physical possession is still a safe bet in the event of digital catastrophe, rights issues, or streaming just phasing out over time due to the glut of streaming services.
What if Disney doesn’t want to spoil their audiences?
There is such a thing where Disney has the philosophy/worry of spoiling their fans. After all, their animated classics were appreciated a lot more when they were placed on DVD moratorium periodically during the 2000s/2010s. Having them all available forever might spoil audiences to the point of complacency.
Creating such a philosophy and pulling titles for temporary times might be an antidote. Today’s audiences probably wouldn’t appreciate such a thing, though, and would lead to backlash.
No evidence exists Disney+ will do this. Once out of the streaming contract zone, it’s still a safe bet to assume Disney will have “everything” and more by 2021. Yet, the new Marvel shows may get more views than many of the Disney classics available to peruse for supposed time immemorial.
