As drive-ins continue to spike in popularity thanks to the pandemic, Disney+ is bringing a collection of its content to these big screens in a week-long event.
From October 5 to October 12, Disney will run the Disney+ Drive-In Festival in Santa Monica, California, featuring movies from the Disney, Pixar, Marvel, National Geographic and Star Wars brands.
National Geographic Disney+ original series The Right Stuff will debut at the festival on October 5, ahead of its October 9 launch on the streamer. And on October 12, Disney+ original movie Clouds (pictured) is set to bow at the festival before its October 16 SVOD rollout.
Different films will screen nightly during the event, including older titles such as Tangled, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and The Sound of Music. The streamer has also lined up Pixar’s Coco and Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month and the International Day of the Girl (October 11). Animated shorts, episodes from the Simpsons and sneak-peek trailers of Disney+ originals will also be part of the lineup. Available now, tickets are free, with a limited number of reserved spots available.
It’s been a busy summer for drive-ins. CBC, LA Times and Bloomberg have all reported on their renaissance as filmgoers shut out of closed-down theaters seek alternative forms of movie-watching. The kids industry has been at the center of this shift, with family-friendly releases like Warner Bros.’ Scoob!, DreamWorks’ Trolls World Tour and the Harry Potter series getting screened at drive-ins across North America.