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Source: AaronP/Bauer-Griffin / Getty / Disney
The television streaming market has become so crowded, but Disney hopes this latest move has made it very simple for customers looking to cut the cord and not break the bank in the process.
Disney’s trio bundle is finally all under Disney+‘s roof with ESPN+’s late edition to the lineup. The lineup already featured Hulu and a streaming platform where you can watch all things House of the Mouse and Marvel Studios.
ESPN+ arrived in the lineup on Wednesday, December 4. It gets its own tile on the Disney+ home screen and will give subscribers access to ESPN’s library, studio shows, and select live sporting events.
Deadline reports that during a Zoom briefing with the press, executives said the initial offering of sports programming will include NBA and WNBA games, Australian Open tennis, and longtime studio shows like Pardon the Interruption. This latest move comes as Disney still plans to launch a standalone “flagship” ESPN streaming service in fall 2025, which ironically will also live on the streaming platform, according to the website.
Speaking on the move, Disney+’s President Alisa Bowden called it “the next step in both the evolution of Disney+ and also ESPN’s streaming future.”
When asked why current ESPN+ subscribers would be incentivized to keep their subscriptions to the standalone streaming service, Disney said their goal is to reach casual sports fans by offering live sporting events that they might not come to ESPN for.
Per Deadline:
John Lasker, SVP of ESPN+, said the 5,000 live events set to be offered via Disney+ to bundle subscribers in the first 90 days represent “a small fraction” of the 30,000 events available each year on ESPN+. “Part of the design there is to stimulate engagement and interest in sports to a casual sports fan that might not otherwise come to ESPN in their normal media behavior. So it’s not creating an alternative to ESPN or ESPN+, but more an extended reach opportunity.”
Just sounds like another eventual price hike. Just saying.
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Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is a new TV series from Spider-Man: Homecoming director Jon Watts and co-writer Christopher Ford. The two-episode series premiere drops on Monday, Dec. 2 at 9 p.m. ET/6p.m. PT on Disney+.
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Ahead, read on for ways to stream Star Wars: Skeleton Crew online.
Here’s how to watch online. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is exclusively streaming on Disney+ for subscribers only.
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Not a subscriber? Sign up for Disney+ to watch all sorts of movies and TV shows from the Walt Disney Company, Lucasfilm (Star Wars), Marvel Studios, Pixar Animation, Twentieth Century Studios, National Geographic and more.
For Cyber Monday, you can bundle the ad-supported plans of Disney+ and Hulu together for just $2.99 per month for 12 months. That’s nearly 80% off the subscription price, if you were to sign up individually. After the 12 months is up, the Disney Duo bundle price goes back to its regular price of $10.99 per month, or you can cancel the bundle after the annual subscription is completed.
But act fast and sign up now, this Cyber Monday deal ends on Monday, Dec. 2. Learn more about the Disney Duo here.
Created by Jon Watts and Christopher Ford, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew takes place during the time of the New Republic and it follows a group of kids who discover something mysterious on their home planet. However, on their way back home, they get caught up in an adventure of a lifetime through the galaxy.
The new TV series stars Jude Law, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kyriana Kratter, Robert Timothy Smith, Tunde Adebimpe, Kerry Condon, Nick Frost and others.
Meanwhile, Mick Giacchino, the son of Academy Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino, composed and arranged the score for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. Giacchino also worked on TV scores for The Penguin, The Muppets Mayhem, Zootopia+, That Dirty Black Bag and others.
Available starting on Monday, Dec. 2, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is streamable on Disney+ for subscribers only. In the meantime, watch a trailer for the new TV series below.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
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Source: CHRIS DELMAS / Getty / Disney Plus
The days of your homie, cousin, or boo thang sharing your Disney+ account for free are coming to an end.
Disney Plus is following Netflix’s example by cracking down on account and password sharing. Its new “paid sharing program” is rolling out to subscribers in the US and other territories.
The paid sharing program was teased during earnings calls earlier this year and is now a reality, with subscribers getting options from which they can choose.
The idea of the program is to convert those using other people’s accounts into paid subscribers.
Per THR:
The paid sharing program has a couple of options for users, per a blog post published Wednesday: People sharing an account with someone outside their household can add that person as an “Extra Member” for $6.99 per month for Disney+ Basic, or $9.99 for Disney+ Premium, both discounts to the normal retail price. Only one Extra Member will be allowed per account, and it is not available as part of the Disney Bundle.
In addition, users sharing an account can also subscribe to Disney+ themselves, and can transfer an eligible profile to the new account to keep their watch history and settings.
According to the Disney+ help center, “Disney+ will automatically detect and establish your Household based on your subscription activity, linked devices, and internet connection among other factors.” If it thinks you are watching outside your household, you may need to enter a one-time password to verify that you are adding a location to your household, or that you are traveling away from home.
Nobody Is Feeling This Decision From Disney Plus
As you can imagine, subscribers are not feeling the idea, especially since they are subject to annual price hikes.
“This is why people pirate bc of you dumbass companies not letting password sharing,” one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Another user noted, “This is why I stick to Blu Rays and DVDs.”
Disney+ isn’t winning anyone with this decision; you can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. Lol, well damn
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Agatha All Along, the heavily anticipated Disney+ series will premiere with back-to-back episodes on Wednesday (Sept. 18).
Kathryn Hahn stars as Agatha Harkness, a neighborhood witch that audiences first met on the Disney+ series, WandaVision. In the spinoff, Agatha loses her powers after a teenager helps her break from a “distorted spell” and sets out to get them back, according to the series description.
Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, Patti LuPone, Aubrey Plaza and Debra Jo Rupp are included in the cast.
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Jac Schaeffer, Rachel Goldberg and Gandja Monteiro directed the series. Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Mary Livanos and Schaeffer are executive producers. Trevor Waterson is co-producer.
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The new series debuts on the heels of Disney+ announcing a promo deal. Keep reading to learn more about the $1.99 offer and how to stream Agatha All Along.
Disney+ $1.99 Promo: How to Redeem in Time to Watch ‘Agatha All Along‘ & More
The first two episodes of Agatha All Along will begin streaming on Disney+ on Wednesday at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET. The remaining seven episodes will premiere weekly on Disney+.
How much does Disney+ cost? The basic streaming plan usually starts at $9.99 per month, but new and returning customers can subscribe to Disney+ Basic for $1.99/month for three months — a savings of $18 off the base price. The limited deal launched on Sep. 12 and ends on Sept. 27.
$1.99/month for three months $9.99/month 80% off disney+
Disney+ Basic gives you access to Marvel, Star Wars, Disney Channel and Pixar originals, along with other movies, shows, concerts specials documentaries and more including The Acolyte, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version), Moon Knight, Loki, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Bluey. Inside Out 2 (streaming Sept. 25) and Wizards Beyond Waverly Place (streaming Oct. 30).
In addition to the limited promo, Disney+ debuted a series of exclusive offers and discounts for subscribers. Some of the perks include early access to Agatha All Along merchandise at DisneyStore.com beginning Sept. 18; an exclusive bundle of over 35 free Marvel Digital Comics and 15% off Disney-inspired goodies at Funko and Loungefly.
Watch the trailer for Agatha All Along below.
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Calling all Descendants fans! Disney‘s Descendants: The Rise of Red, is the fourth movie of this franchise which releases today, Friday (July 12) on Disney+. It is also set to air on Disney Channel on Aug. 9 at 8 p.m ET.
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In this iteration of the story, Uma (played by China Anne McClain), once a villain kid is now the headmaster of Auradon Prep. She invites Red (played by Kylie Cantrall), who is the rebellious daughter of the Queen of Hearts (played by Rita Ora) to the school. When Red’s mom starts a rebellion against Auradon, Red teams up with Chloe (played by Malia Baker), Cinderella’s daughter. The story unravels as they go back in to stop past events that turned Red’s mom into a villain.
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Descendants: The Rise of Red is directed by Jennifer Phang also known for her work in films like Advantageous (2015) and Half-Life (2008).
The films cast includes Brandy, Rita Ora, Kylie Cantrall, Maria Baker, China Anne McClain, Jeremy Drift, Dara Reneé, Ruby Rose Turner, Morgan Dudley, Paolo Montalban, Melanie Paxson, and Leonardo Nam.
Keep scrolling for ways to join Disney+ and stream Descendants: The Rise of Red.
How to Stream Descendants: The Rise of Red on Disney+
You can now stream Descendants: The Rise of Red on Disney+ and rewatch the Descendants 1, 2, and 3 to refresh your memory. If you’re not a Disney+ subscriber, here’s a short rundown of how much it costs, and how to land a free subscription.
Disney+ plans start at $7.99/month for the Basic subscription and $11.99/month for Disney+ Premium (ad-free streaming).
Looking for a Disney+ deal? You have a few options, the easiest being a bundle plan, which saves you up to 37% off. Subscribe to the Disney+ Basic Duo plan with Hulu for $9.99/month, or the Trio plan with Hulu and ESPN+ for $14.99/month.
Disney+ offers a huge collection of exclusive TV series, movies, documentaries, concert specials and sports. Go get your subscription now and get ready for a movie night with family and friends.
How to Watch Disney Channel Without Cable
Descendants: The Rise of Red will also be airing on Aug. 9 at 8p.m ET on Disney Channel.
For those looking for another streaming service alternative, you might want to add Sling TV. With Sling Orange, you can stream Disney Channel and other channels for $20 for your first month (regularly $40/month). It includes 34 channels with seven exclusive sports and family channels.
Hulu is another affordable alternative to stream Descendants: The Rise of Red without cable, as it offers a library full of Disney’s most popular programs. If you already have a Hulu subscription, you can watch Bluey for no additional cost — just log in to your account to get access.
If you are in search of another great streaming platform, consider getting DirecTV. DirecTV Stream offers a handful streaming plans, the most affordable is the Entertainment package ($79.99/month) featuring over 90 channels including Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, ESPN, Nickelodeon, TLC, Hallmark Channel, Paramount Network, ABC, and many more.
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Calling all Bluey fans! Disney Branded Television dropped the trailer for the new Bluey Minisodes, unveiling the release of the first seven episodes. The upcoming Bluey Minisodes will debut on Disney+ at midnight PT on Wednesday, July 3, followed by airing on Disney Jr. and Disney Channel throughout the week.
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The beloved Disney Channel series follows the adventures of a lovable Blue Heeler pup named Bluey, her younger sister Bingo, and their family. Each episode captures the imaginative world of childhood through playful games, heartfelt moments, and life lessons. With its endearing characters, this Australian animated series is a celebration of family bonds, life learnings, and growing up.
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The short series Bluey Minisodes is written by Bluey creator Joe Brumm and produced by Ludo Studio. This new series will focus on the humorous and heartwarming moments between Bluey and Bingo, giving audiences a deeper insight into the siblings’ world.
If your kids are fans of Bluey, you can celebrate the new minisodes with merch and toys from Walmart, Target, Amazon, Delta Children and Macy’s.
Keep reading to learn the streaming options available to watch the new Bluey Minisodes online.
How to Watch Bluey Minisodes Online
You will be able to stream the new Bluey Minisodes on Wednesday (July 3) on Disney+. Meanwhile, if you already have a Disney+ subscription, you can catch up and watch all Bluey episodes for free when you log in to your account.
Looking for a Disney+ deal? You have a few options, the easiest being a bundle plan, which saves you up to 37% off. Subscribe to the Disney+ Basic Duo plan with Hulu for $9.99/month, or the Trio plan with Hulu and ESPN+ for $14.99/month.
Disney+ offers a huge collection of exclusive TV series, movies, documentaries, concert specials and sports. Go get your subscription now and get ready for a movie night with family and friends.
How to Watch Disney Channel Without Cable
Upon its release on July 3 on Disney+, Bluey Minisodes will also be rolling out on Disney Jr. and Disney Channel. For those looking for another streaming service alternative, you might want to add Sling TV. With Sling Orange, you can stream Disney Channel and other channels for $20 for your first month (regularly $40/month). It includes 34 channels with seven exclusive sports and family channels.
Hulu is another affordable option to stream Bluey Minisodes without cable, as it offers a library full of Disney’s most popular programs. If you already have a Hulu subscription, you can watch Bluey for no additional cost — just log in to your account to get access.
If you don’t have a Hulu subscription, new users can get a 30-day free trial to watch Bluey and more. When your free trial is over, you’ll be charged the regular subscription fee based on the plan you pick out.
For those looking for another alternative streaming platform, consider getting DirecTV. DirecTV Stream offers a handful streaming plans, the most affordable is the Entertainment package ($79.99/month) featuring over 90 channels including Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, ESPN, Nickelodeon, TLC, Hallmark Channel, Paramount Network, ABC, and many more.
The Choice + Sports plan is currently on sale for $98.99/month (reg. $123.98) comes with 125+ channels including Disney Channel, Disney Jr., Disney XD, as well as sports channels like ACC Network, Big Ten Network, MLB Network, NBA TV, and so much more. You can also get the Ultimate + Sports Pack for $109.99/month (reg. $134. 98). This one includes over 160 channels, including Disney Jr., Disney Channel, Disney XD, and more.
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Source: SOPA Images / Getty / Disney+
If you’re one of those people who enjoys Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ content at the expense of a friend or family member without having to pay, start counting your days.
You have until June to get your bank accounts in order and decide whether you want to continue sharing your Disney+ and its family streaming platform account with your homie or other family members.
Those allowing other people to use their Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ accounts will see a message telling them to add that person to their plan for an additional fee, of course.
Speaking with CNBC, Disney CEO Bob Iger talked about Disney’s plans to start cracking down on the popular practice of password sharing.
Per Variety:
According to Disney chief Bob Iger, the Mouse House this June will “be launching our first real foray into password sharing” enforcement. Iger, during an interview Thursday on CNBC, said the initial launch will be “just a few countries in a few markets” (he didn’t identify them) then “will grow significantly with a full rollout in September.”
The initial communications to Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ customers will prompt password-borrowers to start their own subscriptions, the company has said previously. Later in 2024, account holders who want allow access to individuals outside their household will be able to add them for an additional fee.
When Disney+ begins its crackdown on password sharing, which it hopes will help achieve “double-digit margins, it will join Netflix, which has already begun doing so.
Netflix claims that its effort to crack down on password sharing has been successful in helping boost subscriber numbers.
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Source: Patrick Harbron / Patrick Harbron/Netflix
Aside from the last season of Loki, Disney+’s live-action MCU series haven’t generated much interest from hardcore fanboys. But with Daredevil: Reborn already in production, hype is slowly building around Matt Murdock’s return to the MCU.
That being said, on Wednesday, April 3, interest in the series got a big boost when on-set photos of Jon Bernthal’s Punisher hit the internet which showed the actor in full Frank Castle attire and covered in blood which surely came from a violent encounter of some kind. According to Variety, the upcoming Daredevil: Reborn series has gone through some ups and downs due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, but now that things are back on track, fans can expect to see the kind of action-packed brutality that made Netflix’s Daredevil series such a hit amongst fans back in 2017.
Variety reports:
“Daredevil: Born Again” has been through a bit of a development rollercoaster. The series parted ways with head writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman last October while the production was shut down amid the SAG-AFTRA strike. Marvel also released the directors for the remaining episodes of the season as it decided to take “Born Again” in a new creative direction despite half of the series’ 18-episode order already being shot. Only some elements of pre-existing material is expected to be used in the final cut of the show.
Dario Scardapane, who wrote and executive produced Bernthal’s “The Punisher” series, stepped in to serve as the new “Born Again” showrunner a few weeks after Ord and Corman’s exit. The duo are still being credited as executive producers. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead — who directed on Marvel’s “Moon Knight” and “Loki” Season 2 — were added as directors. It’s unclear whether or not the original 18-episode order remains.
If these pictures are any indication of what we can expect when Daredevil: Reborn hit’s Disney+, we’re in for a bloody good time.
Check out pics of Jon Bernthal’s The Punisher alongside Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and let us know if you’re as hype as we are about the upcoming series in the comments section below.
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Source: Disney+ / Disney+
While Star Wars fans have many issues with both the prequel and sequel trilogies that followed the first three classics that George Lucas blessed us with, the spinoff shows that stream on Disney+ have garnered much love and support. Now another series will be coming that will delve even deeper into the Star Wars universe.
Source: Disney+ / Disney+
On Tuesday (March 20), Disney+ released their first trailer for a new Star Wars spinoff series dubbed The Acolyte which centers around a Jedi killer and actually takes place 100 years before the Star Wars prequel, The Phantom Menace. Judging from the trailer, the Jedi will have their hands full as they try to take down the young, Force-wielding Sith in training, portrayed by Amanda Stenberg
In the trailer we see this assassin wield a red lightsaber so you just know chaos is about to go down. We’re with it. Also in the cast are Carrie-Ann Moss and Jodie Turner-Smith, as if we didn’t need more reason to tune in.
With the series taking place 100 years before the prequel films, we doubt we’ll see anyone from the OG Star Wars film make an appearance (Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, etc), but Chewbacca and other role players are definitely on the table and maybe even a legendary Sith or two might make a cameo or play a role in the show after it’s all said and done.
Check out the trailer for The Acolyte below and let us know if you’ll be checking for it when it premiers on Disney+ on June 4th. Peep photos in the gallery, too.
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Source: National Geographic / NatGeo
The trailer for the next installment of National Geographic’s acclaimed series Genius focusing on the lives of Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X made its debut.
As the Dr. Martin Luther King holiday weekend begins, National Geographic has released the full trailer for the next installment of their award-winning Genius series focusing on the civil rights leader and another iconic figure in the struggle for social justice, Malcolm X. The series, entitled Genius: MLK/X, is the first time that it will explore the lives of two impactful figures at once, opening with the two’s only public interaction on Capitol Hill at a Senate hearing in 1964.
Genius: MLK/X features Kelvin Harrison Jr., the Screen Actors Guild Award winner for his role in The Trial of The Chicago 7 and the star of Chevalier as Dr. King. Aaron Pierre, the actor notable for his performance as Caesar in Barry Jenkins’ Amazon series, The Underground Railroad, and M. Night Shyamalan’s, Old, portrays the activist, Malcolm X.
The docudrama series zeroes in on the lives of the two iconic figures going back to their formative years where both were reared with a strong sense of family but also beset by tragedy that placed them on their respective journeys to realize their identities and to fight for change for their people and the world.
The limited series also stars Weruche Opia as Coretta Scott King, MLK’s wife, and Jayme Lawson as Betty Shabazz, the wife of Malcolm X. Genius MLK/X also takes time to fully detail their lives and identities in full as powerful civil rights activists carrying on their late husbands’ work. The series also features the late Emmy Award winner Ron Cephas Jones in one of his final roles.
Genius: MLK/X is produced by Reggie Rock Bythewood, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Ron Howard, Brian Glazer, Francie Calfo and Kristen Zolner. Ambassador Atallah Shabazz is also involved with the series, having served as a consulting producer. It is also produced by Undisputed Cinema, Imagine Television, and 20th Television. The series will air weekly and debuts on National Geographic Feb. 1 at 9 p.m. ET/8 CT with two episodes, which will be available on Disney+ and Hulu the next day.
Check out the trailer for Genius: MLK/X below.
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