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9 confirmed movies and TV shows Disney is making for its Netflix competitor

Apr 4, 2019, 18:43 IST

Lucasfilm

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  • Disney is developing a number of projects for its upcoming streaming service, Disney+.
  • They include two live-action "Star Wars" TV shows, a Loki TV series spinning out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a "Monsters Inc." series.

Disney is entering the streaming war this year with its Netflix rival, Disney+. On top of its extensive pre-existing library of content, Disney is developing a number of original shows and movies for the platform.

They include two live-action "Star Wars" shows and Marvel TV series spinning out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney has confirmed one starring Tom Hiddleston as Loki is in the works, and Variety reported last year that more are in development starring Scarlet Witch, Winter Soldier, and the Falcon. They will be big-budget, limited series of six to eight episodes, according to Variety.

READ MORE: Wall Street analysts say Disney's streaming efforts could rival Netflix in subscribers, and 'anything less would be a disappointment for investors'

Its original content also includes a "Monsters Inc." series, a "High School Musical" series, and movies starring Anna Kendrick and Willem Dafoe.

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Disney will go head-to-head with Netflix, and ended a licensing deal with the streaming giant this year. All new Disney theatrical releases, starting with "Captain Marvel," will eventually land on Disney+.

Wall Street analysts have high expectations for Disney's streaming efforts. Barclays analysts said in a report on Wednesday that Disney could reach 170 million subscribers by 2025 between its three services: Disney+, Hulu (which it now owns 60% of), and ESPN+. UBS analysts estimated in January that Disney+ alone could reach 50 million subscribers within five years.

But the service will face potential hurdles. Some of Disney's library, such as old "Star Wars" movies, could be missing due to licensing agreements, which makes its original content all the more important.

Below are confirmed and reported projects in development for Disney+:

Writer and producer Jon Favreau, who directed Disney hits like "Iron Man" and the upcoming "Lion King" remake, is developing "The Mandalorian." It takes place between the original and new "Star Wars" trilogies, following a "lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy." Episodes will be directed by Bryce Dallas Howard, "Thor Ragnarok" director Taika Waititi, and more. "Narcos" star Pedro Pascal plays the title character.

Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed in November during an earnings call that a "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" spin-off, starring Diego Luna as Cassian Andor, is in the works. Andor died at the end of "Rogue One," so this will be set before the events of the movie. The "Star Wars" official website described it as a "spy thriller" that "follows the adventures of rebel spy Cassian Andor during the formative years of the Rebellion."

The animated "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" ended after six seasons on Cartoon Network in 2014, but it will return for a 12-episode seventh season exclusively on Disney+. Iger confirmed the series is coming in November.

Iger confirmed in November that a Loki series is in development that will spin out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tom Hiddleston will reprise his role as the God of Mischief and Thor's adopted brother.

Iger confirmed in November that a TV series based on the Pixar movie "Monsters Inc." will be coming to Disney+.

Disney announced the stars of its upcoming "High School Musical" series for Disney+ in February. The cast includes a group of young up-and-coming actors such as Joshua Bassett ("Stuck in the Middle"), Frankie Rodriguez ("Modern Family"), and Olivia Rodrigo ("Bizaardvark").

Disney is developing a live-action remake of its animated classic, "The Lady and the Tramp," for Disney+. In a January interview with Barron's, Iger said that the movie was never considered for a theatrical release.

"There was not one discussion about whether we should make that for the big screen," Iger said. "Everybody said this is a great story, would love to make it again, let's make it for what we call 'the service' internally."

Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader are starring in "Noelle," a movie about a Santa's daughter (played by Kendrick). It was originally scheduled for a November release this year in theaters, but will debut on Disney+.

The movie "Togo," starring Willem Dafoe, tells the true story of the 1925 Nome serum run. In 1925, 20 mushers raced across Alaska by dog sled to transport an antitoxin for a deadly bacteria that was ravaging the small town of Nome.

Variety reported in September that, along with Loki, Scarlet Witch (played by Elizabeth Olsen) is also getting her own TV series. With the Disney-Fox merger now finalized, Disney owns the film rights to the X-Men. In the comics, Scarlet Witch is a mutant and the daughter of X-Men villain Magneto. Perhaps this could be a perfect opportunity to introduce the X-Men to the MCU.

Variety reported in November that Disney is developing a series starring the Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. the Winter Soldier. The potential series raises questions about Captain America's fate in "Avengers: Endgame," depending on when this series would take place. Both Bucky and Falcon take up the mantle of Captain America in the comics when Steve Rogers is believed to be dead or missing.

Slashfilm reported last month that Marvel Studios is developing an animated "What If?" series for Disney+. The "What If?" comic book, originally launched in the late 1970s, told alternate-reality stories of the Marvel universe.

Disney is developing "Book of Enchantment," a series that will star some of Disney's most recognizable villains like Ursula ("The Little Mermaid") and Maleficent ("Sleeping Beauty"), The Wrap reported in February. It's based on Serena Valentino’s “Villains” book series.

The Hollywood Reporter reported last year that "28 Weeks Later" director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo will direct a "Sword in the Stone" live-action remake. Reports have since indicated that the movie will head straight to Disney+.

Deadline reported in February that Disney was developing a number of "priority" movie projects for the streaming service: "Don Quixote"; "The Paper Magician"; "Stargirl"; a "3 Men and a Baby" remake; and "Timmy Failure," from "Spotlight director Tom McCarthy.

Deadline also reported last April that a "High Fidelity" romantic-comedy TV series was in the works for Disney+, based on the 2000 movie of the same name. The movie starred John Cusack, but the show will star a female in the lead role, according to Deadline.

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