Baby Yoda and other hotly-anticipated Disney+ shows will be available on SkyQ when the streaming service launches in the UK in three weeks time
- The platform will launch on March 24 in the UK – almost four months after the US
- Feature shows such as The Simpsons, The Mandalorian and High school Musical
- It will be integrated into SkyQ at launch to increase its appeal and roll-out
- Will be expanded to feature inside Now TV at a later date, Sky says
Sky and Disney have delighted fans by announcing the hotly-anticipated Disney+ platform will feature on the ‘Q’ box when the streaming service launches in the UK.
Since going live in the US in November 2019 the platform has been immensely popular, racking up more than ten million people subscribing on its first day.
The system will go live in the UK three weeks today and SkyQ customers will be able to add it to their subscription.
Details are scarce on exactly how deeply the Disney streaming site will be integrated with SkyQ and how the monthly subscription fee will be paid at this point.
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The service includes a catalogue of 500 movies and 7,500 TV shows – a mix of Marvel and Star Wars movies and shows, classic animated films and new series. It will launch on March 24 in the UK
Sky and Disney have delighted fans by announcing the hotly-anticipated Disney+ platform will feature on the ‘Q’ box when the streaming service launches in the UK
Disney has remained tight-lipped over its roll-out, with fans speculating as to exactly what content will be available.
Exclusive shows such as The Mandalorian, The World According To Jeff Goldblum, and High School Musical will feature, but details are murkier for other hits.
For example, there is huge speculation as to whether the entire catalogue of The Simpsons will be available.
It is believed Disney+ will be available on SkyQ at launch, and integration with the Sky-owned Now TV will come at a later date.
Disney+ will cost £5.99 a month, but an introductory offer for customers who sign up before it launches lowers this to £49.99 a year, equivalent to £4.17 a month.
Among the programmes available at launch of Disney+ in three weeks will be The Mandalorian, the critically acclaimed series set in the world of Star Wars. The Mandalorian spawned one of the viral sensations of 2019, with Baby Yoda (pictured) dominating social media
Disney+ will go live to customers in the UK and parts of Europe on March 24. It will cost £5.99 a month for a subscription or a yearly fee of £59.99. Disney has also released an offer giving access for 12 months for £49.99
Exclusive shows such as The Mandalorian, The World According To Jeff Goldblum, and High School Musical will feature, but details are murkier for other hits. For example, there is huge speculation as to whether the entire catalogue of The Simpsons (pictured) will be available
Kevin Mayer, Chairman of Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International, alluded to how big a score this was for the streaming platform, as it takes on established giants in the UK streaming market such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.
He said: ‘We are delighted that Sky is selling the Disney+ service on their platform and, along with our other distribution partners, will deliver exceptional reach at launch.’
Jeremy Darroch, Group Chief Executive of Sky, added: ‘We’ve built a strong partnership with Disney over three decades and we’re pleased that our customers in the UK and Ireland can continue to enjoy their world-class content – all in one place on Sky Q.
‘This is a great start to what is set to be another stellar year for Sky – in 2020 we’ll launch new channels and genres, start building Sky Studios Elstree and we’ve got brilliant new and returning originals coming too.’
One minor drawback for some users may be SkyQ’s inability to play HDR video.
Sky does offer 4K ultra high-definition viewing, but HDR provides more contrast on the screen, with whites and blacks appearing further apart than in non-HDR formats.
This contrast is more perceptible to the human eye than 4K is, in most circumstances.
Accessing Disney+’s content through other avenues will allow viewers to see the content in either HDR10 or Dolby Vision HDR.
But users watching via their SkyQ box will not be able to.
Sky initially stated it will be rolling out HDR support by 2019, but it missed this deadline, and the feature is now expected to be pushed back 12 months as it scrabbles for a solution.