Disney+ brings forward Euro launches

Live-action Star Wars series The Mandalorian

The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) has brought forward the launch date of its direct-to-consumer streaming service in parts of Europe and fixed the price tag.

Disney+ will arrive in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and Switzerland on March 24, having previously been set to launch a week later, on March 31.

Additional Western Europe markets, including Belgium, the Nordics and Portugal, will follow in the summer.

The Mouse House has also confirmed the ad-free service will be available for £5.99/€6.99 (US$7.75) per month or £59.99/€69.99 annually.

At launch, subscribers will have access to titles including Star Wars spin-off The Mandalorian, from executive producer and writer Jon Favreau; High School Musical: The Musical: The Series; and The World According To Jeff Goldblum, which was recently renewed for a second season.

These sit alongside a library of movies and TV series based on Disney-owned brands such as Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic, plus thousands of Disney movies.

Disney+ launched in the US, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico in November last year, with TWDC CEO Robert Iger declaring it was a “historic moment” for the company.

It has since built up impressive subscription numbers, grossing close to US$100m in its first two months through mobile usage alone, according to stats released last week by market research specialist Sensor Tower.