Disney offers up branded channels on Iflix

The Asian SVOD deal includes channels for Marvel, Disney-Pixar and Disney, early-window film rights, and an exclusive Iflix-Maker Studios original series.
August 23, 2017

Weeks after pulling out of its distribution deal with Netflix in the US, the House of Mouse has secured a wide-ranging agreement with Singapore, Malaysia-based SVOD company Iflix to bring Disney content closer to its Southeast Asian audience.

The first wave of theatrical content headed to Iflix’s new “channels” feature includes Marvel Studios movies Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Thor: The Dark World and Iron Man 3, as well as Pixar Animation films such as Monsters Inc, Monsters University, Up and Wall-E. Disney movies like Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, Cars, Lilo & Stitch, The Jungle Book and Cinderella will also bow on the service.

Additional titles expected from January 2018 include Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man, The Jungle Book, Zootopia, Tangled, Finding Dory, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles!, Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur. Meanwhile, Disney TV series including Disney Junior’s Sofia the First, Disney Channel’s Star Wars Rebels and Disney XD’s Guardians of the Galaxy will also be offered to Iflix users.

Iflix is also set to co-produce an exclusive, original project in collaboration with Disney’s multi-channel network subsidiary Maker Studios.

The SVOD currently reaches one billion consumers in 19 territories across Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and is expected to launch in Sub-Saharan Africa in the next few weeks. Its content is accessible via the Iflix app and online at iflix.com.

Disney, meanwhile, will introduce its own SVOD service in the US when its deal with Netflix expires in 2019. Content heading to the upcoming platform will include all of Disney’s future live-action and animated movies—beginning with a 2019 theatrical slate that includes Toy Story 4, the sequel to Frozen and The Lion King from Disney live-action. Library content including Disney and Pixar movies and Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD television programming will also be offered, along with exclusive new Disney-produced original movies, TV series and short-form content.

Disney is currently in negotiations with Netflix to determine whether or not the streaming giant will retain Disney’s Marvel and Star Wars films after 2019.

On Disney’s latest quarterly earnings call, CEO Bob Iger stated that the company is not ruling out adding its Marvel and Star Wars films to its new streaming service and may still launch standalone streaming services for the brands. Disney’s currently unnamed SVOD service will initially launch in the US alongside an ESPN-branded multi-sport SVOD service.

About The Author
Jeremy is the Features Editor of Kidscreen specializing in the content production, broadcasting and distribution aspects of the global children's entertainment industry. Contact Jeremy at jdickson@brunico.com.

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