Top 10 Titles Disney Could License to Another Streamer: ‘Daredevil,’ ‘Hannah Montana,’ ‘Private Practice,’ More
In a move that may come as a surprise to many, Disney is currently considering licensing some of its shows, films, and other titles to third-party streaming services in order to alleviate recent financial losses. In its most recent earnings report which was delivered last November, the company revealed that it had lost $1.5 billion during that three-month period on streaming alone. This led to the ouster of former CEO Bob Chapek and the re-installation of his predecessor Bob Iger atop the company.
The company is now making efforts to sure up those losses, which could even include selling Hulu and/or ESPN. The idea is that the House of Mouse would refocus on its flagship streaming service Disney+ as a way to streamline its streaming efforts. That could mean licensing titles that underperform across the Disney universe so that they can live on platforms where they have a better opportunity to be seen by wider audiences.
While Disney boasts an expansive library full of extremely popular media properties such as the Star Wars franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and every episode of “The Simpsons,” it also has a large back-catalog of under-the-radar content that may be perfectly suited to be loaned out to other streamers. But what content may we see be licensed out, and where will it end up? Here are some Disney shows and movies that we think could end up being shipped to another streaming service in the near future.
National Geographic Content to CuriosityStream
Disney+ possesses a vast library of content from National Geographic, the popular educational entertainment channel. If it were to shift some of its underperforming properties to an educational streaming service, such as CuriosityStream, it could probably get a pretty penny while the smaller streaming service would gain access to high-budget, quality content that comes with immediate brand recognition.
Classic Disney Animated Films to Netflix
Netflix’s roster of movies could use an upgrade, and what better than some of Disney’s countless classic animated films? Popular titles like “Cinderella” and “Pinocchio” could spend time on Netflix on a rotating basis, with limited runs on the service to help create urgency among potential viewers, similar to Disney’s old “vault: system. With so many classics that the whole family can enjoy, licensing these titles could be very lucrative for Disney.
Disney Channel Original Movies to Tubi
Disney Channel has produced over 100 original films since 1997, with many — like “Halloweentown” and “High School Musical” — achieving great popularity. In addition to these massively popular titles, it also has a large selection of lesser-known original films, which would be perfect to fill out the roster of a free ad-supported television channel on a service like Tubi. A channel that played non-stop Disney Channel Original movies would certainly have its audience.
Disney Afternoon Cartoons to Netflix
From 1990 to 1997, Disney Channel’s afternoon block of cartoons, simply named The Disney Afternoon, contained popular programs like “DuckTales,” “Darkwing Duck,” and “Goof Troop,” all of which could potentially find a home on a popular service like Netflix. These shows not only hold up for the kids of today but will hold a certain nostalgic value for the ’90s babies desperate to recapture the spirit of their childhoods.
“Shake It Up” to HBO Max
While Warner Bros. Discovery may not have a ton of money to throw around these days, there’s no arguing that HBO Max’s “Euphoria” is one of its most popular and important pieces of programming. For fans of the show and its Emmy-winning star Zendaya, there may be some appeal to checking out her first television show, the Disney Channel series “Shake It Up,” which also features a young Bella Thorne. Even if WBD isn’t looking to spend too much money in the near future, it may be worth taking advantage of the popularity of Zendaya.
Marvel TV Series to Netflix
A few years ago, Netflix was home to Marvel television series including “Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage,” and more before Disney+ came into being and brought those shows back home. But now, if Disney+ is willing to play ball, those shows and other Marvel series may be well-suited for a return to Netflix, a big platform for shows that are connected to one of the most popular franchises in the world. In addition to the Netflix series, non-MCU canon shows that aired on Disney-owned channels “Agents of SHIELD,” “Cloak and Dagger,” “The Runaways,” and more would surely be both a worthwhile acquisition for Netflix and would bring in some extra money for Disney.
Disney Junior Shows to Noggin
Disney also has a massive backlog of programming for very young children, most of it originating from Disney Junior. For a children-focused streaming service like Noggin, the chance to gain access to such popular titles as “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” “Doc McStuffins,” and “Spidey and His Amazing Friends” would be invaluable.
“The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” and “The Suite Life on Deck” to Netflix
Cole Sprouse is one of the stars of “Riverdale,” an extremely popular program that airs on The CW and streams on Netflix. So why not piggyback off of that popularity and give viewers who can’t get enough Jughead an opportunity to see Sprouse grow up in “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” and “The Suite Life on Deck,” the two Disney Channel series the young actor cut his teeth on. Also starring Ashley Tisdale and Brenda Song, the show has tons of nostalgic appeal.
“Hannah Montana” to Peacock
NBC has been putting a lot of stock in Miley Cyrus’ star power lately, including building its annual New Year’s Eve special around her. Because of this, Peacock may want to be the streaming home to some of Cyrus’ early work, particularly her time on Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana.” A massively popular show that spawned a massive star, this would surely be a smart pickup for Peacock.
“Private Practice” and “Station 19” to Netflix
The historic, long-running series “Grey’s Anatomy” makes its streaming home on Netflix, with its first 18 seasons all available now. But the series’ spin-offs, “Private Practice” and “Station 19,” also created by “Grey’s Anatomy” creator Shonda Rhimes, never made it to Netflix since they premiered after the launch of Disney-owned Hulu. But if Disney is looking to make some money with some licensing, bringing the interconnected world of “Grey’s Anatomy” could be smart.
Not only would these two shows complement the already streaming original, but Rhimes also has an exclusive deal with the world’s largest streamer, having created “Bridgerton” and “Becoming Anna” for Netflix.
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.”