Disney+ and Hulu are undergoing a major content purge as Disney works to cut costs and improve profitability in its streaming business.
The move involves removing dozens of shows and movies from both platforms, including notable titles like “Willow,” “The World According to Jeff Goldblum,” and “The One and Only Ivan” from Disney+ and “The Premise” and “Y: The Last Man” from Hulu.
The purge reflects a broader industry trend where streaming services trim their libraries to manage expenses and focus on more strategic content offerings.
Strategic Content Review and Financial Impact
Disney’s Chief Financial Officer, Christine McCarthy, explained that the company is reassessing its streaming content to establish new strategic priorities in content curation.
The review has prompted Disney to remove some titles, effectively enabling the company to take an impairment charge of almost $2 billion.
This financial write-off is part of Disney’s effort to make its streaming segment profitable. CEO Bob Iger has emphasized a more curated and cost-effective approach to streaming content.
Titles Being Removed from Disney+
The content being removed from Disney+ ranges from original series to films. Among those are “Willow,” the original streaming series with Warwick Davis, “The Mysterious Benedict Society,” “Big Shot,” “Turner & Hooch,” “Just Beyond,” “Timmy Failure,” “Magic Camp” and “Howard,” a documentary on the “The Little Mermaid” songwriter Howard Ashman. Other removals include “The Making of Willow,” “Earth to Ned,” “Foodtastic,” and “Stuntman,” among many others.
Hulu Content Purge
Hulu is also experiencing a significant reduction in content. Titles being removed include “The Premise,” “Y: The Last Man,” “Dollface,” “Pistol,” “The Quest,” “The Hot Zone,” “Maggie,” “Little Demon,” “Love in the Time of Corona,” “Everything’s Trash,” “Best In Snow” and “Best In Dough.
These removals are part of the same strategic content review aimed at reducing costs and focusing on more profitable programming.
Industry-Wide Streaming Content Cuts
Disney is not alone in this approach. Other major streaming companies, such as Warner Bros. Discovery, have also removed content from their platforms to reduce costs.
For example, HBO Max removed shows like “Westworld” and shelved the movie “Batgirl” for tax write-offs. A handful of the removed titles have been picked up elsewhere by rival platforms, indicating that Disney’s removed content might also be redistributed elsewhere in the future.
Reactions from Creators and Fans
The content purge has sparked disappointment among creators and fans. Director Julia Hart took to Twitter Friday to express her devastation over the removal of her Disney+ movie, “Stargirl.”
Similarly, John Bickerstaff, a writer for “Willow,” condemned the short notice given before the show’s removal, calling the business “absolutely cruel.”
Fans have also lamented the removal of “Howard,” highlighting the disconnect between content strategy and fan expectations.
Future Content Production Plans
Alongside the purge, Disney has indicated that it will produce fewer streaming titles going forward. This shift reflects a strategic pivot to focus on higher-quality, more curated content rather than volume.
The company aims to balance subscriber growth with profitability, which has proved challenging in the competitive streaming market.
Timing and Scope of the Purge
The content was removed at the end of May 2023, with over a hundred original shows and films removed from Disney+ and Hulu globally.
The purge included both recent releases and older titles, some of which had been on the platform for only a short period of time, like the sci-fi title “Crater,” which was withdrawn after seven weeks. The ongoing nature of these removals suggests a sustained effort to reshape Disney’s streaming libraries.
Financial Write-Downs and Impairment Charges
The content removals are tied to significant financial write-downs, with Disney expecting impairment charges of approximately $1.5 to $1.8 billion in the third quarter.
These charges reflect the accounting impact of removing content that no longer fits the company’s strategic goals, allowing Disney to manage its streaming segment’s financial health better.
Reclaiming Streaming Profitability
Disney’s content purge on Disney+ and Hulu is a clear signal of the company’s attempt to prioritize profitability and curated content in the streaming space.
Disney aims to streamline its offerings and focus on content that drives subscriber engagement and financial returns.
Though the approach has faced backlash from creators and fans alike, it is consistent with industry practice as streaming platforms try to develop sustainable modes of operation.
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