In an exclusive interview with the Argentine newspaper La Nacion, and just over a month after the launch of Disney+ in Latin America, scheduled for November 17th, Diego Lerner, President at The Walt Disney Company Latin America, gave details on the strategy of launch of the platform, whose catalog in the region will include a selection of films and series from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic, as well as exclusive original productions. This way, Disney+ will be the only OTT where all Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars films will be available.
Lerner reported that there will be a pre-sale during the first days of November, ‘which consists of a significant discount for those who subscribe for the entire year’. Similarly, the executive said that ‘in most of the countries in the region, the platform will be available in local currency’ and, although the value of the Disney + subscription in Latin America has not been reported so far, the executive informed that it is already defined, but it will be announced ‘when we are closer to launch’.
In addition, the executive noted that, although the platform will become the exclusive OTT from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic contents, ‘our most emblematic linear channels, such as Disney Channel and its derivative content, will continue to be available through cable distribution systems or similar’.
With regard to competing platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Movistar Play, Lerner established that Disney 0now has a much more open offer, especially since it bought Fox and acquired content for a more adult audience. Disney is very particular and, humbly, I do not think it compares to Netflix, Amazon or other respectable companies. Netflix was a pioneer in developing an offer that is fantastic, because it generated a digital consumption habit that benefits everyone. But I do not think the competition is with Netflix’, he said.
Lerner was also asked about his expectations regarding the number of subscribers the company aspires to in Argentina, and reflected that ‘we are excessively optimistic. We do not give numbers due to company policy. But the expectation we have is great, because we have decided to stop distributing content to third parties, and I believe that this will be validated in user’s decisions with a very, very convenient price. We have extremely ambitious expectations’, he said. Disney titles were recently removed, both from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. In addition, different Brazilian websites reported that Disney+ could be available under a pre-sale model in the country as of this coming Saturday, October 17th.
Regarding the pre-sale period for Latin America, Lerner added that ‘from the first days of November a pre-registration will be available, which will allow people to subscribe for one year, with a significant discount. Lerner also anticipated that the live action saga ‘Mulan’ will not be released in movie theaters in Latin America due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and will be available directly on Disney+ from December 4th, without an extra cost to access.