Where are the Disney fans? How about Marvel? "Star Wars"? What about BBC? Live sports? Is anyone a “Friends” or a “The Big Bang Theory” fanatic? There is talk that this November, a streaming platform will be released including all these aspects. We just need to figure out which one is right for you.
As you probably already know, Disney is coming out with its own streaming platform this November called "Disney+." This subscription will include all the Disney movies, some of which have been slowly pulled off Netflix and other streaming platforms for this reason.
It will also include a collection of Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar spinoff series and prequels. The pricing for this subscription will be $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year.
However, Warner Bros is also releasing its own new streaming platform soon in spring of 2020 called "HBO Max." This subscription will include a partnership with BBC as well as many big-name TV shows such as “Friends” and “The Big Bang Theory,” which have also been pulled from competitors’ streaming platforms.
The price for this subscription is currently unclear, but it has been confirmed that the price will be higher than its current $14.99 per month. Many people think it could be raised as high as $17 a month.
The question is, can HBO Max compete with Disney+? Does Disney have a competitor in the streaming business?
Disney is a very specialized company. It focuses heavily on a younger audience and receives a large portion of its revenue from its TV-themed products. On the other hand, Warner Bros. has a much wider audience in terms of age range. While Disney focuses largely on children's content, HBO Max will have all the TV shows that are less family-friendly, the kinds of shows that older and teenage audiences will be more attracted to.
But it costs more than twice the amount of Disney+, and it will probably end up being more than Netflix Premium Plan ($15.99 per month) as well as a package deal Disney will be offering with two other big-name companies ($12.99 per month). Is “The Office” really worth all the extra?
Okay, I may have exaggerated a little bit. “The Big Bang Theory” isn’t all that HBO Max has to offer. It’s also offering a live streaming service — a special feature for the sports fans out there. It will also offer a partnership with BBC and will include many other TV shows in the PG/PG-13 category, one platform that Disney does not have a firm hold over.
It is also bringing a new writer-director-producer onto its team who Disney, Netflix and Apple have been fighting over. The company is hoping he’ll help it produce some Warner Bros. original shows that it can put on HBO Max.
However, Disney+ will also be offering its before-mentioned bundle with Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for still less than HBO Max will end up costing, and its content will always be loved by people in every generation, no matter their age.
While Disney fans will be immediately reach for their Disney+ subscriptions, I personally would be more inclined to reach for HBO Max. I like the kinds of series that my little sisters would run away from.
No one platform will be right for everyone, of that we can be certain. It’s just a question of: Which is the best for you?
By DAELYN FUNK
Staff writer
Featured photo from Google Images.