Disney’s upcoming streaming service won’t include R-rated content

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Disney isn't exactly known for R-rated content, especially not under the main Disney brand, but with the company's upcoming acquisition of 20th Century Fox, they've about to increase their library by a considerable amount, a portion of which will be a good deal more adult than what they're used to. Where will all this R-rated content end up? One sure thing for sure is that it won't be included in Disney's upcoming streaming service.

A report from Deadline includes several new details about the upcoming service, including that there will be no R-rated films as all of the programming will have to be "consistent with the Disney brand." The studio has reportedly been conducting meetings within the creative community in order to give them a sense of the streaming service, which is expected to launch in fall 2019 as a domestic service before later expanding overseas. In regards to the R-rated content Disney does have, that will go to Hulu, which has a deal with 20th Century Fox. At this time, there's been no mention of how Disney's potential new 20th Century Fox assets might fit into the service. At the moment, the plan is to leave the various Marvel TV shows, such as Daredevil and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., where they are, which means that Netflix will get to hang onto them, at least for the time being.

Disney's goal for the first year of the service is to produce 4 or 5 original movies along with 5 original TV series, which could include a new live-action series in both the Marvel and Star Wars universes. Disney CEO Bob Iger recently revealed that they're actually developing more than one Star Wars TV projects for the streaming service. "We are developing not just one, but a few Star Wars series specifically for the Disney direct to consumer app," Iger said. "We've mentioned that and we are close to being able to reveal at least one of the interties that is developing that for us. Because the deal isn't completely closed, we can't be specific about that." Iger added that he thinks "you'll find the level of talent … on the television front will be rather significant as well."

The TV series on the service are expected to be budgeted between $25 million and $35 million for 10 episodes, but if a particularly large series interests them enough, it's possible for that budget to jump up to $100 million. Deadline claims that some of the film projects which will potentially be heading to the streaming service include DON QUIXOTE, LADY AND THE TRAMP, THE PAPER MAGICIAN, STARGIRL, TOGO, THE MAGIC CAMP, NOELLE, 3 MEN AND A BABY, TIMMY FAILURE, and SWORD IN THE STONE. As for how this new service will impact your wallet, it's not yet known, but Bob Iger has previously said that their plan "is to price this substantially below where Netflix is." Will that still be the case next year? Who knows.