Disney Plus, launched in 2019 and amassing over 100 million subscribers worldwide quickly, became one of the most hyped streaming platforms in service, boasting a massive library of content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars, among others. However, recently, the company has been struggling to keep its momentum and appeal, losing millions in subscribers, and a slate of lackluster original shows isn’t helping amidst disappointing financial results. So, what went wrong with it, and is there any way to recover from this slump?
One of the reasons Disney Plus got a great start was its access to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU); coming on the heels of the success of Avengers Endgame, fans were eager to watch shows of MCU’s latest phase. It started solidly with Wanda Vision, which blended sitcom tropes with superhero intrigues, creating a strong buzz. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier followed, also well-received by fans and critics alike. Loki also delivered on its hype, diving deep into concepts like multiverse and keeping the audience waiting eagerly for season two. Also, Moon Knight was received warmly by both fans and critics as a dark and gritty show, unlike most MCU movies.
What If…?, an animated series exploring alternative scenarios in the MCU, then had a mixed reaction, with some episodes hailed as fun and creative, while others as predictable and dull. But it wasn’t until She-Hulk, with its bland storytelling and poor visual effects, that it felt like the MCU contents at Disney Plus weren’t maintaining the same quality as before, as the show was full of cliche sitcom-like tropes that failed to capture the charm of its source material.
The latest show, Secret Invasion, starring Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, was based on the popular Marvel storyline of shape-shifting aliens known as Skrulls that had infiltrated Earth’s governments and organizations. The premise was good, but the execution disappointed the fans as it was a watered-down adaptation lacking any notable stakes or surprises.
Ultimately, Disney Plus is suffering, especially with its MCU content. It is a spiraling approach where it continually wants to churn one show after another but needs more quality directors and production teams to see it through.
One recent glaring example is the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again, where almost all of the production team has been replaced to approach the storyline anew.
From a fan’s point of view, this feels like Disney plus going complacent and putting too much emphasis on the goodwill of MCU fans. It could be understandable at first, as the fans have made MCU the most successful movie franchise of all time, so when Disney Plus started producing MCU shows, fans hoped for a continuation of their favorite characters where they would be more fleshed out.
But instead, it’s clear to see Disney Plus overestimating the appeal of its MCU shows. While fans still want to check out what MCU has to offer, they are interested in something other than watching subpar shows that have lazy storytelling, lackluster visual effects, and an overall mediocre vibe in every aspect.
This has quite the effect on Disney Plus’s overall performance, bringing on fewer new subscribers than expected while incurring losses. And the challenges it faces from its streaming competitors are only growing.
Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV+ have all invested substantially in having quality original content, which has raised their subscriber counts, something Disney Plus is lacking now.
From a business point of view, this should serve as a wake-up call for Disney Plus, as they also got in on the streaming hype train, hoping to establish themselves as one of the top dogs. With initial momentum fading, this raises the question, did Disney use their streaming platform, or were they better off with arrangements with other platforms like Netflix where they got to earn revenues from their content without the added headache of running a streaming service with viewers disinterested in its new contents?
But despite the hiccups, Disney Plus still boasts a substantial library, with its recent Star Wars shows like The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka all critical and commercial successes. The current lull in MCU shows can also be rectified by taking time to bring shows that have originality and take risks while at the same time giving the fans what they love about MCU, the feeling of an interconnected universe with relatable characters.