Netflix made a major play at becoming the dominant video-on-demand and Internet streaming service with its recent partnership with Disney. The move will boost Netflix into the echelon of other pay-TV channels like HBO and Showtime. Come 2016, Disney films and television series will be available on Netflix seven to nine months after release. Disney will also give Netflix their vast array of films from their vault, like “Dumbo” and “Pocahontas,” immediately.
Why is this recent partnership so big? Well, because Disney owns everything. Pixar, Marvel and LucasArts are all part of the Disney family, and, not to mention, Disney may make more major media purchases in the future.
With all these major big budget films now being produced on the mouse’s dime, Netflix is finally going to have exclusive rights to the most popular films every year, plus rights to Disney classics.
Netflix has wanted to have a partnership with a major Hollywood studio for years. Well, they teamed up with one of the best, if not the most lucrative. Disney’s films fall into the target market that Netflix users favor.
The Disney addition will also fill the void left by Blockbuster for consumers to go back and share with their children some of their favorite childhood films.
Without video rental stores where can you go to pickup a copy of “The Lion King” anymore.
Disney originally had exclusive rights with Starz. However, that contract expires in 2016, and with the decision to go elsewhere, Disney and Starz have severed ties.
It may have been Netflix and Starz’s falling out and subsequent removal of Starz series from Netflix more than a year ago that led to Netflix’s cutthroat steal of Disney.
However, with the only major production company still tied to Starz being Sony Pictures – their contract is up in 2016 as well – Starz must find a way to fill the holes that Disney will leave behind.
With more Marvel “Avengers” films on the way and the continuation of the Star Wars series on the horizon, Netflix will definitely see a spike in subscriptions based upon its investment.
Chasen Doerr is a senior journalism major and the opinions editor for the Daily 49er.
