‘It’s less than 2% of our total titles’: Disney responds to fan ire over axing of highly-rated Disney Plus shows and movies, including A Small Light and Togo
Exclusive: ‘We regularly review our titles and make assessments’
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Disney has responded to fan complaints over the removal of multipleDisney Plusmovies and shows, many of which were highly rated.
As first reported byWhat’s on Disney Pluson Sunday (September 29), the entertainment giant axed numerous Disney Plus Originals from the streaming service’s library. Critically-acclaimed projects, such as historical dramaA Small Light, which holds a perfect 100% critical rating onRotten Tomatoes, and the Willem Dafoe-starring adventure-drama filmTogo(92% critical score onRotten Tomatoes) are among the 25 productions that are no longer available to stream.Here’s the full list of titles that have been consigned to the streaming scrap heap:
It isn’t just certain nations that have been impacted by this latest back-catalog culling, either. I’ve checked Disney Plus' library in the US, UK, and Australia, and I can confirm that none of these films or TV series are now viewable in these countries. It appears, then, that they’ve been permanently removed worldwide. It also appears that projects likeA Small Light, which debuted exclusively onHuluin the US, have been axed from Disney Plus' sister streamer, too.
Unsurprisingly, this latest streaming cull has created a furore online. Threads on forums and social media platforms, includingResetEraandReddit, are full of users who are angry at the sudden removal of these projects.Given the ire that this axing has created, I reached out to Disney for an official comment on the matter. A spokesperson told me: “Like all media companies, we regularly review our titles and make assessments and content decisions based on what makes the most sense for the business. Collectively, it is less than 2% of our total titles globally. Fans still have unprecedented access to a wide variety of Disney’s film and television entertainment.”
So, if you’re a fan ofMarvel,Star Wars, Pixar, and Disney’s classic movies collection, you can rest easy in the knowledge that Disney’s biggest franchises are safe. Almost all of thebest Disney Plus moviesandbest Disney Plus showsare still available to watch to your heart’s content, too. Even so, I suspect that’s scant consolation to subscribers who enjoyed any of the 25 productions they can no longer stream.
Another kick in the teeth for Disney Plus' userbase
This isn’t the first time that furious Disney Plus users have lashed out at Disney for unceremoniously dumping TV and Movie Originals.
In May 2023, we reported thatDisney Plus and Hulu’s libraries were about to get a lot smaller, with shows includingWillow,Pistol, andY: The Last Manbeing removed from these platforms. A few weeks later, we covered the news thatDisney was looking to cut more content from its streaming back catalogsin the coming months. Then, in late August, two highly anticipatedDisney Plus Originals were shelved just months before their own debuts– that duo beingThe Spiderwick ChroniclesandNautilus, which have found new homes on TheRokuChannel andPrime Videoin the past year.
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On the movie front, things haven’t been as severe from a culling perspective. However, one of 2023’snew Disney Plus movies–Crater–was dumped just two months after it debuted on the streaming giant, which proves the House of Mouse isn’t averse to permanently deleting films from its streaming library if they don’t perform well.
This latest jettisoning of content comes at something of an awkward time for Disney. Indeed, withrumors of another Disney Plus price hike circulating online, plus the recent confirmation abouthow much it’ll cost you to share your Disney Plus passwordwith people outside of your household, further fan outrage is the last thing that the entertainment titan and one of the world’sbest streaming servicesneeds right now. Still, at leastInside Out 2was a massive hit for the platform, eh Disney?
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As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.
Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.
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