“Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings” from Marvel Studios will hit Disney Plus on Nov. 12 — along with a slew of other new content — as part of a celebration of the two-year anniversary of the streamer’s launch.
The first Disney Plus Day marks the date the streaming service first bowed in 2019 in the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands.
Additional content set to debut Nov. 12 on Disney Plus worldwide includes film “Jungle Cruise,” starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, available to all subscribers (after being available under its $30 early-access pricing); the premiere of Disney Plus original movie reboot “Home Sweet Home Alone,” with Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney and Kenan Thompson; a new original series of shorts from Walt Disney Animation Studios called “Olaf Presents,” featuring Frozen’s beloved snowman retelling several classic Disney tales; and animated short film “Ciao Alberto” from Pixar, featuring characters from “Luca.”
The Disney Plus Day announcement comes the same day that CEO Bob Chapek said streaming subscriber growth for the September 2021 quarter will be slower than expected, which he blamed in part COVID-related production delays. The Nov. 12 event is, obviously, aimed at attracting and retaining customers for the company’s strategically critical Disney Plus service.
“The inaugural Disney Plus Day will be a grand-scale celebration of our subscribers across the entire company,” Chapek said in announcing the event. “This day of appreciation brings to life our mission to entertain, inform and inspire fans and families around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, and will become an annual tentpole event to be amplified across our global businesses.”
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” will premiere on Disney Plus 70 days after its theatrical release.Chapek had previously called the release of the movie exclusively in theaters “an interesting experiment” to see how different windowing strategies are playing out for Disney — a comment over which “Shang-Chi” star Simu Liu took umbrage, writing on Instagram, “We are not an ‘interesting experiment.'”
Also coming on Nov. 12 will be the domestic Disney Plus streaming debut of shorts from Walt Disney Animation Studios including “Frozen Fever,” “Feast,” ”Paperman,” and Mickey Mouse short “Get A Horse!”; a new short from “The Simpsons” paying tribute to Disney Plus’s brands; the first five episodes from Season 2 of “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” from National Geographic; a special celebrating the origins and legacy of Star Wars’ legendary bounty hunter, Boba Fett; and a special celebrating the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Disney Plus.
In addition, “Dopesick,” an original series starring Michael Keaton premiering on Hulu on Oct. 13, will be released in international markets as part of the Star general entertainment content offering on Nov. 12.
Also timed for the anniversary date, Disney Plus will make its debut in South Korea and Taiwan on Nov. 12 and in Hong Kong on Nov. 16.
Disney Plus Day will include promotions and experiences spanning areas of the company, as well. Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide and Disney Cruise Line treat customers to “some surprise and delight moments” including photo opportunities, character moments and more; shopdisney will have special offers; and the media conglomerate will feature Disney Plus Day programming and promos across ABC, Disney Channel, ESPN and ESPN Plus, Freeform, FX, Hulu, National Geographic in the U.S., and on owned channels abroad.
