Disney streaming & MCU future

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**reds8n**

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/04/11/kevin-feige-details-marvel-disney-offerings-confirms-mcu-tie-ins/

Kevin Feige confirmed some previous rumored things, like the Scarlet Witch and Vision series (now titled WandaVision), the upcoming Falcon & Winter Soldier, the What If series, and Loki.

Elizabeth Olson and Paul Bettany will be reprising their roles of Wanda Maximoff and Vision, respectively, as will Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan as Sam Wilson aka Falcon and Bucky Barnes aka Winter Soldier, also respectively.

Feige revealed that the first episode of What If (which will be an animated series) will focus on What If Agent Peggy Carter took the super soldier serum, and Steve Rogers wore a Howard Stark-built armored suit. While Feige didn’t confirm which of the original cast from the live action Captain America film were coming back, he did say “most” were going to be voicing their animated counterparts.

He also confirmed what we already knew, that Tom Hiddleston is indeed going to be continuing to play Loki in the Disney+ series.

He also spoke about the live-action non-scripted series we told you about earlier this week.

There was also the news that yes, the Disney+ series will be directly influenced and influence the MCU. None of this Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. “not really” stuff.

Disney+ will launch on November 12th, 2019. Prices were announced at $6.99 a month, or $69.99 annually.

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/04/11/first-look-at-disney-streaming-service-the-mandalorian-falcon-and-the-winter-soldier/

Today during the Investor’s Day Showcase, the official first look at The Mandalorian, and the upcoming live action Marvel Studios series, Falcon & The Winter Soldier.
Each item shown will be available as soon as the service launches.
Playstation 4 and Roku have already been secured as carriers of the service.

Disney+ will allow subscribers to download content and access it offline for as long as they’re subscribing to the service, which is pretty cool.

They’re also teasing additional looks at the service (content, etc.) at additional events this year.

As we’d previously reported, classic animated Disney film titles that had been “locked in the vault” will be available starting on day 1. There will be a documentary about the making of Frozen 2 called “Into the Unknown” which Jennifer Lee revealed is the name of one of the new songs in the film as well.
All 21 Pixar films (including the Pixar shorts) will be available on Disney+ on day one as well.

A video introducing new characters from Toy Story 4 was shown as well, but livestream watchers weren’t privy to it.

Apparently Forky is going to get his own 10-episode series, “Forky Asks a Question”. So will Bo Peep, in a new film called “Lamp Life”.

Details about Monsters World, a brand new series about Monsters Inc. characters was also confirmed. We already knew almost all the original film’s voice cast is returning for that.

And, LucasFilm President Kathleen Kennedy came out to introduce Jon Favreau. She also revealed that Disney+ WILL have the main saga installments and “stories” of Star Wars on launch. No word on if Caravan of Courage or Ewoks: Battle for Endor, or even the Holiday Special will eventually show up. You can read about their presentation here.

NatGEO’s offerings look pretty fabulous as well. Not pictured are the new “The World According to Jeff Goldum ” docu-series and the previously FOX series, Cosmos.

A trailer for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series was shown, but of course we didn’t get to see that.

Including The Simpsons. The first 30 seasons will be available on the service beginning day of launch.

There is also talk about a Renner led Hawkeye show/TV film or whathaveyou.

**Ouze**

WHAT IF?? Oh snap. Those were some of my absolute favorites growing up. Really jazzed about that. I hope they do What if? Wolverine became Lord of the Vampires, which was a personal favorite.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Sounds pretty funky. The more I hear about Disney+'s content, the more tempted I am to sign up when it makes it to the UK.

I mean, Star Wars and Marvel? That's most evening's viewing sorted!

**AduroT**

As much as I’m liking Doom Patrol and Young Justice, it’s sounding much better than DC’s service.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Also, for the inevitable God-Sprog sitting sessions, seems a decent service to stick on and plonk her in front of to give me some rest

**H.B.M.C.**

What Disney presented today wasn't just a massive and extensive service that fully leverages their massive back catalogue and willingness to throw money into new high-quality productions, but also a statement of competitiveness.

They could have charged US$10 a month for this. They could have charged US$15. They could have stood up, puffed out their chests, and said that they were the greatest and that what they have is so great that people will pay whatever they tell them do.

But they didn't.

They put up a price that must be seriously scaring Netflix, and makes it a very attractive addition to an existing service, or even a straight up swap. That was very clever of them.

Ouze wrote:
WHAT IF?? Oh snap. Those were some of my absolute favorites growing up. Really jazzed about that. I hope they do What if? Wolverine became Lord of the Vampires, which was a personal favorite.

The sad part about it is it's the perfect type of series to have Outer Limits style intros and outros voiced by Stan Lee.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

You've made me cry now :(

But fair point on the price. Even if it's a straight 'swap the $ for a £' when it gets to me, that is a price that's damned hard to refuse.

**Gitzbitah**

I'm struck by the scope. They're totally rejecting the niche proprietary streaming service business model, like the network exclusive channels and DC's superhero streaming service, and giving you everything. It would have been so easy to have tiers of pricing- 8 a month for basic, 15 for basic +Star Wars or Kids, 20 for all. HBMC is right, the Mouse means business.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Can't say I blame them.

Consider. I usually go to see MCU and Star Wars movies in the Cinema. That bags Disney their cut of £15, four times a year - give or take. What that cut is, I dunno, but it won't be the whole shebang.

Here, they're getting a more-or-less guaranteed £6.99 out of me each month. And I'll still be queuing up at the Cinema for the big releases.

That's doubling their revenue, plus a bit from me as an individual. Rinse and repeat by a few hundred thousand households, and they'll be rolling in it.

The only thing it might hit, are physical disc sales and download sales. But then, that depends how much of a lag there is between each stage. Again, I buy MCU and Star Wars discs on release. Always have, always will. Because I'm weird like that. If there is a gap between physical released and Disney+ debut? Guess I'll continue that. Spesh if they up their game with DVD Extras and that.

**Voss**

Gitzbitah wrote:
I'm struck by the scope. They're totally rejecting the niche proprietary streaming service business model, like the network exclusive channels and DC's superhero streaming service, and giving you everything. It would have been so easy to have tiers of pricing- 8 a month for basic, 15 for basic +Star Wars or Kids, 20 for all. HBMC is right, the Mouse means business.

Introductory pricing, subject to change later.

It's at least a little about crushing Netflix, which is stupidly raising prices as the entire video streaming industry fractures and they lose shows.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

There's also the as yet untapped properties Disney owns.

Understandably the push is MCU and Star Wars, plus their Animated Catalogue, all of which are rich veins to be tapped.

But don't forget stuff like Lone Ranger, John Carter of Mars, X-Men, The Simpsons, F***** G**, Alien, Planet of the Apes, American Horror Story, Predator. Loads and loads and loads of others. All of which they can turn into TV series if they so wish.

**H.B.M.C.**

Disney intends to win (and I think it's biggest competition will come from Apple - seriously check the recently released slate of what Apple's about to bring out, it's no joke), and they spent $70b to buy Fox's entertainment catalogue just to give themselves more stuff to sweeten the deal.

It's interesting to see a big company not do things by halves, not sit around testing the water with as little risk to them. Disney just jumped in head first. No messing about.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Not to mention Walking Dead. Wonder whether they'll pull the plug or make changes there? From what I understand, despite the ratings plunge, it's still a top programme on its channel?

Man. Disney pretty much owns everything now. If Fox disappears off NowTV, with Game of Thrones ending, I'll have no reason to continue that subscription.

If Netflix loses all it's Marvel content, along with American Horror Story, again, I've no reason to maintain that subscription either, as there's nothing else particularly tying me to Netflix.

Amazon Prime will probably survive, only because it's got lots and lots of groovy horror films for me to watch!

But. Yeah. Wow. Disney have gone straight for the Jugular. They're like Thanos, but searching out hot media properties, rather than Infinity Stones. And I do declare they may have just made The Snap?

**Turnip Jedi**

A million parental units cried out in terror at the prospect of non-stop Disney eating the last of their sanity

still very much 'wait and see', suspect they'll fling a lot of money in to hook folks but the danger of everything else being 'straight to video' level ala Disney Australia

and are the sticking to the pg-13(ish) level previously mooted ?

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Guess it’ll vary somewhat?

What If? - being animated, I can see that being more family oriented, possibly played for laffs?

**Mr Morden**

Some good stuff there

What IF sounds great fun.

Can't say no to Loki fun and games.

Great to hear its not Agents of Shield that are in the MCu but do nothing of importance or shy away from even mentioning stuff.

**reds8n**

https://twitter.com/THR/status/1116482497792049152

Actor @AlanTudyk returning for #StarWars 'Rogue One' Disney+ prequel series http://thr.cm/Slyknk

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-disney-shows-first-mandalorian-footage-1200784?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

Cassian Andor will have his right-hand droid with him for his Star Wars prequel.

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy on Thursday confirmed Alan Tudyk will reprise his role as K-2SO in the upcoming Disney+ series starring Diego Luna. The Rogue One prequel sees him once again play rebel spy Cassian Andor and is set during the early days of the Rebellion, prior to the events of 2016's Rogue One. Stephen Schiff (The Americans) is serving as showrunner.

"It will be a thrilling spy series set in the Star Wars universe," Kennedy said at an investors day focused on Disney+ in Burbank.

The exec also confirmed that Lucasfilm's first live-action series, The Mandalorian, will be available as a launch title for Disney+, as will the first two sets of Star Wars trilogies. The streaming service is set to launch Nov. 12, and Mandalorian's showrunner Jon Favreau continues to put the finishing touches on the project.

"We'e pretty deep into the heavy lifting of turning all of that wonderful photography and all of those stories into one continuous season of eight episodes," Favreau said of where he is in the process.

Favreau also brought the first footage of the series. The clip shows the back of presumably the Mandalorian in a snowy area. He’s holding something in his hand, and he pockets it and walks forward. He wears armor that’s meant to look like a medieval knight. There are shots of new planets, new races, new species and new starships, but, as Favreau said, “we want it to feel completely connected and familiar.”

The series takes place after 1983's The Return of the Jedi and before the villainous First Order rose to replace the Empire. The series stars Pedro Pascal, as well as Gina Carano, Nick Nolte, Giancarlo Esposito and Werner Herzog. The Mandalorian also has booked a number of high-profile directors, including Taika Waititi, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, Deborah Chow and Star Wars: The Clone Saga's Dave Filoni.

In addition to those series, Disney revived in July the fan-favorite animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars for a seventh season on Disney+ after last airing in 2008. Kennedy revealed Thursday there will be a docuseries looking at the craftspeople behind Star Wars.

Star Wars is becoming a key attraction for Disney+ as the studio aims to compete with Netflix and other streaming services. As of now, Disney has no theatrical plans for Star Wars beyond December's Star Wars: Episode IX. Disney and Lucasfilm have released one Star Wars film a year, but last May's Solo: A Star Wars Story disappointed commercially and critically, and Disney CEO Bob Iger has indicated there will be a "slowdown" of Star Wars theatrical releases.

The Disney+ investors day comes in the midst of Star Wars Celebration, the annual fan convention being held in Chicago this year. There will be a Star Wars: Episode IX panel on Friday, when the first trailer for the film is expected to drop, while The Mandalorian has its own panel on Sunday.

https://twitter.com/DisneyParks/status/1117109565898752003

thermal detonator themed cokes -- available only @ blah blah blah

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Weird.

Last time we heard, Rian Johnson and the GoT blokes were still pressing ahead with their triologies?

**Mr Morden**

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Weird.

Last time we heard, Rian Johnson and the GoT blokes were still pressing ahead with their triologies?

Maybe they have seen sense and are ditching Johnson finally.

**Yodhrin**

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Weird.

Last time we heard, Rian Johnson and the GoT blokes were still pressing ahead with their triologies?

Not any more, Star Wars on the big screen is officially on-hold after 9. How long likely depends on how well 9 is received, and whether it reverses the presently downward trend in merchandise sales.

As to the news: great, K2 was one of the highlights of Rogue One.

**Graphite**

Holy mackrel.

I originally thought "I don't need this, at all, I have netflix, anything Disney I'll buy on disc"

If the price is even nearly this competetive in the UK, and the content is really that good, Netflix may be getting themselves ditched instead....

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Yodhrin wrote:
Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Weird.

Last time we heard, Rian Johnson and the GoT blokes were still pressing ahead with their triologies?

Not any more, Star Wars on the big screen is officially on-hold after 9. How long likely depends on how well 9 is received, and whether it reverses the presently downward trend in merchandise sales.

As to the news: great, K2 was one of the highlights of Rogue One.

Article quotes as 'a couple of years'.

Now, whether that's a couple of years hiatus for release or production, I'm honestly not sure.

Merchandise sales, if you ask me, aren't down because of the dispute quality of the films, but because a lot of the merchandise is ponk. Compare the 3.3/4" stuff around the Legacy era, with the 'back to the 70's, straight limbed, low detail' stuff released for The Force Awakens. Figures they tried to charge £12 for in the UK. Too pricy for that level of quality, especially when what came before I was objectively better. Example?

The Greatest Falcon toy ever (I restored one before selling it on. It is a beauty)

The Force Awakens - WE'VE PUT A NERF GUN IN BECAUSE REASONS!

Both retailed for broadly similar RRP. One is clearly superior to the other.

**Lance845**

Yeah the big issue with the current SW toy lines is the lack of cohesive scale that is conductive to selling space ships your figures can ride in/be play sets.

Instead they have like... 3 different series of various levels of detail and posibility (and scale) with NO space ships.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

And the ships they have are ludicrously expensive to boot. To the point where collecting Vintage (not boxed, because I’m not into hyperbole) is probably the better spend for your cash.

It genuinely baffles me that since the very first vintage figures, we’ve seen sculpts and designs advance. Right up to The Force Awakens.

Seriously. This is one of the original figures.

Even within the same range, by the time we roll round to Return of the Jedi, when it was a literal license to print money (look into Kenner’s deal. SHEESH!). When this was one of the background characters.

It’s objectively an improvement. More movie accurate, better accessories, and yes a fluffy skirt. Still one of my faves.

That was pretty much your lot until POTF2 around 1996.

Oh look! It’s Ponda Baba! Again! Clearly yet a further improvement on its predecessors. Same scale, just better proportioned, with a more complex paint job. Lovely. Well doe Hasbro.

Fast forward 15 years or so?

Very movie accurate! Full articulation! All for the same relative, inflation adjusted price! OH ARTOO! WONDERFUL!

Then came the dark days. Then came The Force Awakens range (which for my sins I own all of)

WHAT THE FORCE, HASBRO! You want £13 for that! Yes the body sculpt is quite nice. But where’s the articulation gone? How come his visor is just a solid bit of painted yellow plastic? His skidlid doesn’t even come off. Holster is a nice touch, though. And what’s with the daft accessory you can build into a (not at all Star Wars looking Weapon) if you find the other two figures with the other bits for it? £13 for that. That’s three pints.

Wait....hold on....something is coming through The Holonet

It’s Ello Asty again. But with articulation. And a proper pilot’s helmet. And just a better a figure. Well that’s more like what I’m used to! What? It’s called ‘Black Series’ now? Well, ok, I’ll dig out my £13 and forgo the three pints. Y’what? By Yoda’s teeny nadbag! You want £20 for it, despite it being identical in complexity to the immediately preceding toy series! Why I oughta!

So no. It’s not the films doing it. It’s shonky, slapdash, lazy, greedy application of the license. Shame on you, Hasbro. Shame. On. You.

**BobtheInquisitor**

Correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't video game prices been stagnant almost as long as wages have been? And toy prices have risen "with inflation"?

I wonder which one of those industries is doing better.

**Dreadwinter**

That What If series sounds pretty awesome. I may actually have to get this.....

**timetowaste85**

The problem with the toy lines is that Hasbro is a gak toy company. Their Marvel Legends generally suck, have worse articulation than their Toybiz predecessors, worse paint jobs, no comic books, cheaper plastic, etc. Hasbro might be a decent-ish games company, but their action figures are god-awful.

**Graphite**

Hmm, reading further on this on the BBC - I think a major influence may be the "lag time" between cinema, Blu-ray and streaming. That'll be tricky to balance. If it's a couple of months after Blu-ray it's an near no-brainer, since I'd probably spend £70 on Disney-produced-content a year ANYWAY...

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

For me, that depends on the BluRay extras.

MCU tends to have decent stuff on there in my opinion, so could potentially still justify buying it (that and I'm a completest weirdo)

**Yodhrin**

For me, I have little interest in extras in video form, I prefer stuff like companion visual guides if it's a setting or series I care enough about to want more than the film/show itself.

My ideal streaming service would be one that dispensed with the artificial timed exclusivity altogether, because right now people who don't actually want to go to a cinema are being forced to subsidise ticket prices for those who do(because if we don't also go to the cinema and pay for a ticket, thus keeping the price of individual tickets down through volume, then inevitably people who do like the cinema will spoil the story for us before the digital/home media release).

Release all formats on the same day, and let each survive on its own merits and be priced accordingly, IMO. Which is to say, the sooner Disney puts stuff up the better, and sod the cinemas.