Mulan is set to premiere on Disney Plus on September 4, and comes with a hefty $ 30 price tag. In fact, for non-Disney Plus subscribers who want to watch the studio’s live action adaptation Mulan, it will actually cost $ 37.
A new trailer for Mulan removes any confusion about the cost of watching the movie, especially that in order for people to watch the movie, they must be active Disney Plus subscribers. Mulan will be part of Disney Plus ‘Premier Access’ shelf – a new rental platform that acts as an iTunes or Amazon movie store within Disney’s own streaming service. For current subscribers, Mulan will cost $ 29.99. For non-subscribers, a purchase of Disney Plus subscription ($ 6.99 per month) is required on top of the $ 29.99 fee for the movie itself.
But keeping the movie going also requires an active Disney Plus membership, which means you spend $ 7 a month forever. If you cancel your subscription, Mulan disappears with it. Mulan does not transfer to other video games via Movies Anywhere, which is a departure from how Disney handles most video purchases. That means much less flexibility for the customer. If you cancel your subscription but later reactivate Disney Plus (in time for a new season of The Mandalorian of WandaVision), Mulan should be in your library, but The edge has been sent to Disney for confirmation.
Somehow the subscription is required for Mulan seems like an obvious attempt to reduce Disney Churn. Churn, which refers to subscribers canceling their plans, is something that all streaming platforms have to offer, and the best way to get people to leave is to have a consistent stream of new content. Netflix, for example, sees churn as an inescapable part of its business, but there is consistent content. Disney often misses that stream of new entertainment, and the short speed is noticeable. New data from analytics firm Antenna found that people who sign up specifically for Disney Plus Hamilton were “1.5 times as likely to cancel Disney Plus in the first month compared to other subscribers. ”
By paying $ 37 for new subscribers Mulan, are these people more likely to remain subscribers because they have invested in holding the title digitally? It’s a lesson Disney executives are looking for. CEO Bob Chapek spoke about Disney’s new launch model for Mulan in a call of a profit, and he emphasizes that the Disney team is specifically interested in “seeing what happens” both in terms of subscriber growth and how many people buy the film.
It’s an interesting moment for Disney to test the idea. Mulan is set for release in September, and it will be followed immediately by The MandalorianThe second season in October. It is unclear if Disney will use its Premier Access shelf for Black widow, starting November 6, but Marvel Studios’ WandaVision is still reported in December. This is a series of highly anticipated titles that allow people to stick around after signing up to watch Mulan.
What is clear is that Mulan is by far one of the most expensive premium-on-demand titles. Trolls World Tour, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Away, en Scoob! all went for $ 20 – though they came with stricter viewing limits. As Mulan is successful on Disney Plus (especially in North America and Europe, compared to China where the film will be released theatrically), it may require a strategic shift for Disney in the future instead of being a one-time event.
