Disney
Disney is putting together a competitive deal for digital streaming consumers.
Disney is setting the bar for paid streaming services with a $12.99 bundle that includes ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu.
Disney+ is set to launch on Nov. 12 and streaming-obsessed viewers can triple up on the content. On Tuesday, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the three streaming services would be available in a bundle. At the moment, ESPN+ costs $4.99 each month and Hulu (with ads) costs $5.99 per month. Disney+ is expected to cost $7.00 a month standalone and will boast content from Disney, Marvel and Pixar.
“I’d like to congratulate The Walt Disney Studios for reaching $8 billion at the global box office so far this year — a new industry record — thanks to the stellar performance of our Marvel, Pixar and Disney films,” Iger said in the company’s earnings report release on Tuesday. “The incredible popularity of Disney’s brands and franchises positions us well as we launch Disney+, and the addition of original and library content from Fox will only further strengthen our direct-to-consumer offerings.”
Iger expects the streaming services to be available through “Amazon, Apple, and other distributors,” but has yet to reach an agreement with these parties. “We feel it’s important for us to achieve scale quickly, and we think it’s going to be an important part of that. They’re all interested in distributing the product,” he told investors. “That $12.99 bundle offers consumers tremendous volume, tremendous quality, and tremendous variety for a good price.”
It is unclear at the moment how this bundle will work in international markets. Hulu, for example, is not available in Canada, while ESPN+ also has issues surrounding regional licensing. The bundle will be available on Nov. 12, the same day as Disney+’s launch.