Disney+ to Launch Updated Parental Controls, Marvel Netflix/ABC Series in March
After it was reported that the Marvel TV shows that had originally aired on Netflix would be exiting their previous home at the end of February, speculation ran rampant as to where they would eventually end up. Last week we learned that Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage,” “Iron Fist,” “The Punisher,” and the team-up miniseries “The Defenders” would be heading to Disney+ in Canada, and on Tuesday it was confirmed that they would be hitting the streaming service stateside as well.
Disney+ announced that when the Defenders series join the platform on March 16, not only will they be joined by “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (which originally aired on ABC), but that users will be “prompted to set parental controls using enhanced content ratings and PIN protection.”
This move is an evolution for the streamer which originally promoted itself as a family-friendly option that parents could turn to and not have to worry about questionable content being readily accessible by children. With the additions of the more violent and sexually-explicit Netflix programs, parental controls and individual profiles will likely become even more important for families using the service.
“Disney+ has served as the home for some of the most beloved brands in the industry, and the addition of these live-action shows brings more from the Marvel brand together, all in one place,” Michael Paull, president of Disney Streaming, said.
“We have experienced great success with an expanded content offering on Disney+ across our global markets and are excited to continue that here in the U.S. as well by offering our consumers not only great content with the new Marvel additions, but also a set of features that help ensure a viewing experience most suitable for them and their family.”
When subscribers open Disney+ via either the mobile or TV app for the first time on or after March 16, they will be asked to go into the Parental Control settings and “select content ratings restrictions for each profile as well as to add a PIN to lock profiles.” For users that choose not to make any changes, their settings will remain at the standard TV-14 level until changed in their profile.
This new option could lead to an eventual consolidation of Disney’s multiple streaming services; Disney+ and Hulu in the United States and Star and Star+ internationally. Star is an extension of Disney+ that provides the service with an extra listing of shows and movies, tacking on non-Disney branded programming, including more mature shows and movies. The service is known as Star+ in Latin America.
After Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox, they took control of 2/3 of Hulu, with NBCUniversal retaining their 33% stake in the streamer. However, with the recent announcement that NBC programming would be moving its next-day streaming from Hulu to Peacock come fall, many wondered whether Disney would eventually buy out their remaining partner in the platform.
If the company took complete control of Hulu, that would make it much easier to combine the streamer with Disney+ (and perhaps even ESPN+), creating a single service; perhaps negating the need to have Star/Star+ as well. Now that Disney+ will be rolling out increased parental controls, it appears that the likelihood of allowing Disney+’s more family-friendly content to live alongside Hulu’s more mature programming is more of a possibility than it ever has been before.
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”