Earlier this month, it was reported that Disney+, in addition to their new Premier Access model, were considering adding a "mature" tier to Disney+, where they could distribute content that would normally not fit in with usual Disney+ content, such as movies they made through Touchstone or acquired from 20th Century Studios or Searchlight Pictures in their recent acquisitions. While Disney+ has stated it had no plans to add a tier in the past, the same was true for what is now known as Premier Access, as the entire indusry has been forced to adapt suddenly due to the global outbreak of COVID-19.
However, there may be more to these reports than just rumor: earlier this month, during the same Q3 Earnings Call where they announced that Mulan would be heading to Disney+ nstead of a theatrical release, they revealed that in 2021 they would be unveiling a new streaming platform with the Star branding (another purchase from the Fox acquisition). While Disney already turned the Star-branded Hostar into Disney+ Hotstar, they stated that due to the brands international recognition they felt they could take it further. At the time many speculated that this was a replacement for Disney's previously announced intentions to take Hulu international, but there was something in the press release that now sounds familiar:
Given the rapid changes in consumer behavior, we believe it is more important than ever that we continue to grow our direct relationship with our customers. And to this end, I am also pleased to announce that we plan to launch an international direct-to-consumer general entertainment offering under the Star brand in calendar year 2021.
Mirroring the strategy we successfully pursued with Disney+, the offering will be rooted in content we own from the prolific and critically-acclaimed production engines and libraries of— ABC Studios, FOX Television, FX, Freeform, 20th Century Studios and Searchlight. In many markets, the offering will be fully integrated into our established Disney+ platform, from both a marketing and technology perspective. And it will be distributed under the Star brand, which has been successfully utilized by the Company for other general entertainment platform launches, particularly with Disney+ Hotstar in India.
From this description, it sounds very much like the reported descriptions of the new "mature" tier: including content from their more R-Rated brands, built into Disney+ itself. While the Star branding may not be used in the United States due to a lack of brand recognition, it sounds very possible that these additions internationally could also come to Disney+ in the form of this new, "mature" subscribption tier. If this is the case, we may very well hear more about this in Disneys upcoming Investor Day, which Disney has said will take place in the next few months.
ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.