Disney+ Halts All New Canadian Content Until 2024 While Company Trims Budget, Country Implements Content Laws
With the Writers Guild of America currently on strike, it is logical to assume that many streaming providers in the United States might start looking abroad for scripted content. Canadian writers, for example, are not currently on strike and are thus available to at least be contacted by American producers, if they believe the strike will last a while.
Streamers like Paramount+ are commissioning new series in Canada for the first time, but Disney+ has been strangely silent north of the border this year. According to an exclusive report from Deadline, Disney+ has paused the commissioning of new originals in Canada through at least the end of 2023, and the freeze could extend into 2024.
There are several potential reasons for Disney’s halt on new commissions in Canada. The Canadian government just passed bill C-11, which brings streaming services like Disney+ closer in line with the regulations that govern linear TV channels. Among other provisions, the bill requires companies to invest in local Canadian content and promote shows and movies in English, French, and Indigenous languages.
Governmental organizations are still figuring out exactly how the bill will apply in certain situations, so Disney could be waiting to see what its full obligations under the new law will be before commissioning any more shows. Disney did not register a public protest to the bill, as it has for a new measure currently working its way through Parliament in the United Kingdom. Still, there’s a good chance that C-11 is at least a small part in Disney+’s commissioning pause in Canada.
There are also serious budgetary concerns at play for the House of Mouse which could be playing into its Canadian content freeze. Disney is currently in the process of trying to find $5.5 billion in cost savings, which has led to thousands of layoffs and dozens of titles being removed from Disney+ and Hulu. Disney was expected to lead all streamers in terms of original content spending when 2023 began, but those estimates may need to be revised downward.
Disney’s stock has fallen 37% since the launch of Disney+, and it’s now mired in the difficult process of attempting to make its streaming segment profitable. The company is also turning over couch cushions to come up with the money needed to buy the 33% of Hulu it doesn’t currently own from Comcast. There are several different factors that are playing into Disney+’s decision to pause commissions in Canada until at least 2024, and users can expect similar headlines in the future as Disney continues to sort out its gloomy financial situation.
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.”