As promised... here's more on what Disney+ has to offer, revealed at their content showcase which was held last week in the build-up to the launch next Wednesday 18 May.
It was a virtual affair, hosted by Christine Service, Senior Vice President and General Manager for The Walt Disney Company in Africa, and TVSA was there.
Today we present this box of takeways that we've packed for you:
1. Subscribers can register and login using a cell phone number or an e-mail address so you don't have to use e-mail to sign up.
2. You can browse the available content without subscribing.
3. Each account has access to four streams, meaning four people/s can watch different shows and movies at the same time.
4. There are parental controls up the wazzoo. Controls all over the place with pin numbers etc. We glazed over at this point because it's the sort of thing you get to know properly once you actually do it.
5. Episodes are predominantly released weekly. Shows premiere with double bills, followed by one episode a week.
This is to avoid spoilers for those who want to watch communally so everyone has a chance to be up to date on the latest episode together.
That said, some series are released in a full season drop.
6. Disney aims to source, develop and produce 60 local productions from round the world by 2024, including South Africa. Countries with their own localised productions so far include Italy and France.
7. They'll be launching with 10 short local animated films.
Also, the African animated series Iwájú will be in the line-up once it's released - date to be confirmed.
It's a co-production between Disney and pan-African entertainment company Kugali and it's based on their comic books of the same name.
It's set in a futuristic Lagos and its themes deal with identity, social class and challenging the status quo.
8. As we mentioned
here, movies and series are archived according to these six content hubs:
The
Marvel section is the exclusive home of all Marvel movies and TV shows, the
Star Wars section will have all of the Star Wars movies and series and the
Star hub has a collection of adult-orientated shows and films, new and nostalgic, including:
- every episode of The Simpsons,
- New series Queens - about a has-been 90s girl group on a mission to recapture their fame,
- The revived Kar'trashians,
- The real life story of the Pamela Anderson sex tape scandal in the series Pam and Tommy,
- Atlanta 3! - now we know why we couldn't find it on DStv or SABC when we went in search of it.
- The new Agatha Christie movie Death on the Nile, directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot.
If you missed our feature on the full launch line-up you'll find it here:
Full list of shows and movies on Disney+ in South Africa
9. Will this impact on the National Geographic channel on DStv? According to Christine, the channel will remain the same as it's always been and the content on Disney+ will be complementary.
10. Our tip for the ultimate binge watch if you haven't seen it:
24. We literally watched it 24 hours a day when we first discovered it. We even had CTUs telephone ring as out ringtone for yearz.
Xtra snacks
Prices:
R119 per month or R1,190 for an annual subscription.
They have a special running on pre-orders (until it launches) where you can get a year's subscription for R950. You'll find details on their site here:
www.disneyplus.com
Personalised profiles:
7
Streaming resolution:
Up to 4K (2160p)