Global streaming service Disney+ is officially available in the country from today.
The South African launch is part of its expansion plans into 42 countries and 11 new territories this winter.
Owned by global entertainment group The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ is the streaming home of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic content and general entertainment from Star.
In SA, Disney+ joins a growing streaming services market that’s tipped for further growth in the future. It will compete with MultiChoice-owned Showmax, Netflix, Prime Video from Amazon, Apple TV and BritBox, to name a few.
Disney+ says local subscribers are now able to stream movies and series from Disney for R119 per month, or R1 190 for an annual subscription.
From launch, subscribers will have access to over 60 Marvel Studios’ films, including Academy Award-nominated Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings, Eternals, Avengers: Endgame and Captain Marvel, as well as other Marvel series.
They will also have access to over 100 titles from Disney and Pixar, as well as National Geographic documentaries.
In general entertainment, Disney+ states subscribers will be able to watch titles such as Only Murders in the Building, limited series Pam and Tommy, The Kardashians, Queens, mystery thriller Death on the Nile, The Simpsons, as well as back-to-back seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, 9-1-1 and Black-ish.
“With unprecedented access to Disney’s vault, beloved classics such as Cinderella, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, and The Little Mermaid will be available to stream alongside recent blockbusters like Raya and The Last Dragon.
“There will also be hundreds of Disney Channel series, shorts and specials available to stream, including Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, and Phineas and Ferb.”
According to Disney+, users will have access to four concurrent streams, 4K video quality for select titles and the ability to create up to seven different profiles, including the ability for parents to create PIN-protected profiles, ensuring kids only access age-appropriate content.
The launch of Disney+ has been highly-anticipated, with analysts expecting it to increase competition within the local over-the-top (OTT) market.
The first OTT video service in SA was launched seven years ago and fierce competition erupted in the following years, as various global streaming services entered the local market.
Amazon Prime Video, Cell C Black, Netflix, Showmax, Telkom LIT and Vodacom Video Play are some of the big names that entered SA’s OTT space.
However, some services, such as Altech Node, Kwesé Play, MTN VU (formerly FrontRow), ONTap TV and Times Media’s VIDI, have since exited the OTT video market.
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