Star Wars vs Stranger Things? Disney streaming service could rival Netflix

If you (or your kids) have ever longed for one place where you can stream only Disney movies, your wish is Disney’s command.

Since September 2017, Netflix has held the US rights to Disney’s films, including those under the Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm subsidiaries. But from 2019, that will change, as Disney launches its own streaming service.

Disney's new service will also get a live-action Star Wars television series, a new Marvel show, and programmes based on High School Musical and Monsters, Inc.

'Stranger Things 2', a Netflix exclusive, was watched by 15.8 million people

As yet, there is no confirmation whether Disney content available on Netflix’s UK catalogue will be affected, nor is it clear whether the service (if rolled out to the UK) will replace or be an extension of DisneyLife, Disney’s existing app-based video service.

The news is certainly a blow for Netflix, however, the streaming giant will continue to exclusively distribute Disney’s new releases – the next Star Wars movie, for example – throughout 2018.

The announcement follows The Walt Disney Company’s agreement to acquire majority ownership of BAMTech – the video streaming company founded by Major League Baseball – which will also spur the launch of an ESPN-branded multi-sport video streaming service next year.

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Becky is a hi-fi, AV and technology journalist, formerly the Managing Editor at What Hi-Fi? and Editor of Australian Hi-Fi and Audio Esoterica magazines. With over twelve years of journalism experience in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices.

In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.