Disney to Pull Its Movies from Netflix

Future Disney and Pixar titles to debut on new service in 2019.

By Alex Osborn

Disney has announced plans to launch its own streaming services, and as such will pull its movies from Netflix.

During its latest earnings report, Disney said it intends to debut its own branded streaming service for US consumers in 2019 and will then expand the service worldwide, CNBC reports. Disney and Pixar titles will be removed from Netflix, with this new service serving as the home for all Disney movies going forward. The service's initial lineup will include Toy Story 4, Frozen 2 and the live-action adaptation of The Lion King.

Disney will also invest in exclusive TV shows and movies for its new streaming platform.

Additionally, early next year, the company will launch its own ESPN streaming service that will feature video content from the MLB, NHL, MLS and more.

Last August, Disney purchased a 33 percent stake in BAM Tech, and is now shelling out $1.58 billion to acquire majority ownership of the tech company in order to power its new streaming endeavor.

"This represents a big strategic shift for the company," Disney CEO Bob Iger told CNBC. "We felt that having control of a platform we've been very impressed with after buying 33 percent of it a year ago would give us control of our destiny."

While Disney's partnership with Netflix didn't go into effect until last year, the company announced the deal back in 2012, which gave the streaming company exclusive TV distribution rights to some of its live-action an animated movies, including content from Pixar, Lucasfilm and Marvel. Netflix currently features a wide array of Disney movies, including Moana, Jungle Book, Rogue One and Captain America: Civil War.

Disney has yet to announce when its movies will be removed from the streaming service.

Alex Osborn is a freelance writer for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @alexcosborn.

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