HBO Max and other services have done it before, but Disney has just started doing it as well. On May 26, more than a dozen television shows and films will be taken from Disney+ and Hulu, two Disney-owned streaming services.
The acclaimed 1988 fantasy film directed by Ron Howard that inspired the one-season TV series Willow is prominently included on the list of programs that have been canceled. When the Willow television series debuted in November 2022, it had trouble drawing viewers.
The World is another notable piece of removed content, among others. Jeff Goldblum claims there are a few documentaries with a Marvel theme and a number of kid’s shows.
To maintain their material on their platforms, streamers like Disney+ frequently have to pay rights holders and content creators on a continuing basis. However, frequently, this content is seen by too few people and isn’t generating new subscriptions. As a result, these companies view cuts as simple means to save money during challenging times.
HBO Max notoriously withdrew Westworld and some other shows recently, as was mentioned. In a comprehensive article explaining the reasons for the changes and their repercussions on writers and others in the industry, Deadline recently revealed that more content cuts at Netflix seem imminent. Showtime and other companies have also made cuts.
In a statement made during the firm’s earnings call on May 10, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that the business expects to incur a content impairment charge of $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion as a result of removing the series from the company’s streamers.
The following programs will no longer be available on Disney+, FX, Nat Geo, and Hulu: