Netflix To Stream Disney, Pixar, Marvel, And Lucasfilm Movies


Netflix is set to stream every single new Disney movie beginning in September, including films made with Disney-owned studios like Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm.

While’s there’s still no definitive list of the Disney, Pixar, and Marvel titles that Netflix users will be seeing, the sheer volume of movies under each studio’s reach promises a massive trove of top content. Likely additions include franchises like Star Wars, not mention a hefty portion of the superhero movie universe with characters like Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Spider-man. There will, however, be a gap between the Netflix release of new movies and their availability on Blu-ray.

Netflix to stream Disney movies Pixar Marvel Lucasfilm
A hoard of Marvel superheroes will hit Netflix this September. (Photo Illustration by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Subscribers may have to wait through the summer, but that delay is comparatively brief: Disney and Netflix signed the deal in 2012. In that time, access has only been given to a small selection of classics, among them Dumbo and Pocahontas.

Although the actual figures behind the deal were shrouded in secrecy, a source close to the negotiations told the Los Angeles Times that Netflix will be shelling out somewhere around $300 million a year for the rights. Previously, premium cable channel Starz retained exclusive dibs to Disney movies. At the time of the switch, the former owner released a statement expressing its intention to push ahead with original content — a market in which Netflix hadn’t yet become a major player.

“Starz will continue to be the exclusive home of all Disney movies, including the Lucasfilm, Marvel and Pixar releases, and their accompanying digital streaming rights, into 2017. Our decision not to extend the agreement for Disney output past that time allows us the opportunity to implement our plan to dramatically ramp up our investment in exclusive, premium-quality original series which will best meet the needs of our distributors and subscribers.”

In addition to the wave of Disney movies about to hit Netflix, the streaming kingpin also announced several other fresh arrivals. In June, the original Jurassic Park trilogy and Oscar Best Picture-winner Spotlight will be up for viewing, while July will give Back to the Future and Lethal Weapon fans their fix. Marathon opportunities for Fast and Furious lovers will also open up in August. Franchises aside, The Wedding Planner, The Big Short, St. Vincent, and The Big Short all come to Netflix this summer as well.

The high-dollar agreement with Disney hardly comprises Netflix’s entire budget. The streaming service has been at the forefront of original programming since it first jumped on the scene with hit shows House of Cards and Orange is the New Black in 2013. Both are still going strong — Cards just released its fourth season this March, and OITNB will be coming back for its newest season on June 17. Further renewals have also been secured for each respective series.

Netflix to stream Disney movies Pixar Marvel Lucasfilm
Everything from ‘Stars Wars’ to ‘Snow White’ will be streaming on Netflix at the end of the summer. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

TV shows are just one of the ways Netflix is cutting out the middleman to provide high-quality entertainment. While vying for consumer loyalty, it’s also picked up several films that, before coming to Netflix, garnered reputations as festival favorites. The Fundamentals of Caring, Tallulah, and Braham Naman will all turn up this summer, and in September, Netflix loyalists will be treated to an Afghan War dramedy starring Brad Pitt. Fans of Christopher Guest’s off-beat mockumentaries Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind will also be excited to learn his latest project, Mascots, will be available the same month as the Disney movie haul.

Do you think Netflix’s deal for Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm movies will pay off?

[Image via MN Chan/Getty Images]

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