Yesterday, Disney announced its Disney+ streaming service now has 60.5 million paid subscribers, a staggering number achieved in just nine months.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek also announced the company will launch its live-action film, Mulan, based on the 1998 animated film, on Disney+ on September 4, 2020. The launch of Mulan on Disney+ will be available to Canadians, along with those in the United States and other countries.
But there’s a catch. Disney will require existing Disney+ subscribers to purchase Mulan for $29.99 USD (CAD pricing to be determined still) to stream the film online, as the latter avoids a theatrical release due to COVID-19.
This is not a rental fee, but according to Disney, it will allow for unlimited access to the movie, as long as users remain a subscriber to Disney+, confirmed a spokesperson to Insider.
This model means Disney is able to cut out third parties and soak up all the profits leading from production up until a launch directly to consumers.
“In order to meet the needs of consumers during this unpredictable period, we thought it was important to find alternative ways to bring this exceptional family-friendly film to them in a timely manner,” said Chapek.
“We see this as an opportunity to bring this incredible film to a broad audience currently unable to go to movie theaters, while also further enhancing the value and attractiveness of the Disney Plus subscription with this great content,” added the CEO.
Click here to sign up for Disney+ in Canada–it costs $8.99 per month or $89.99 per year.
