Beyoncé's new film 'Black Is King' is streaming exclusively on Disney Plus — here's how to watch
- Beyoncé's new film "Black Is King" is now streaming exclusively on Disney Plus.
- "Black Is King" incorporates the themes of Disney's "The Lion King" into a new visual narrative that features images of the Black diaspora.
- Beyoncé played the role of Nala in the 2019 remake of "The Lion King" and produced an album called "The Lion King: The Gift" to accompany the film's release.
- A Disney Plus subscription costs $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is the writer, director, and executive producer of "Black Is King," a new visual album that debuted exclusively through Disney Plus on July 31.
"Black Is King" incorporates the lessons of Disney's "The Lion King" into a new visual narrative.
Beyoncé announced "Black Is King" with a one minute trailer on her website that was also featured on the Walt Disney Studios YouTube channel. The trailer reveals that the film has been in production for a year.
While Beyoncé is best known as a Grammy Award-winning musical artist, her recent film projects have also garnered critical acclaim. Her directorial credits include "Lemonade," the 2016 visual album delving into Knowles-Carter's experiences as a black woman, and "Homecoming," a Netflix-exclusive documentary chronicling her performance at Coachella 2018.
Knowles-Carter played the role of Nala in the 2019 remake of "The Lion King" and produced an album called "The Lion King: The Gift" to accompany the film's release. In June 2020 Beyoncé received the BET Humanitarian Award for her philanthropic work, which includes scholarship funding for women in the arts, and a recent program supporting Black people in Houston impacted by the coronavirus.
Updated on 7/31/2020 by Steven Cohen: Updated language to reflect the debut of "Black Is King" on Disney Plus.
How to watch 'Black Is King' on Disney Plus
To watch "Black Is King" you'll need to sign up for a Disney Plus subscription. The movie is exclusive to the service and won't be available anywhere else. The film debuted on July 31, 2020. Disney Plus offers monthly and annual plans, priced at $6.99 and $69.99, respectively.
Disney Plus is also available in a discounted bundle with Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99 per month, a deal that will save you about $5 per month compared to paying for all three services separately. If you're already a subscriber to one of those services, you can upgrade to the bundle here.
The Disney Plus platform includes support for up to 4K playback with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio through compatible devices. With that said, "Black Is King" is limited to HD resolution and standard 5.1 audio.
Disney Plus is available to stream on Apple, PC, iOS, and Android devices, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and streaming devices from Amazon, Roku, and Chromecast. The Disney Plus app is also available on smart TVs, including models from LG, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio. You need an internet connection to stream Disney Plus, but the platform offers an option to download titles to a mobile device for future viewing when you're offline.
What other movies and shows can I watch on Disney Plus?
Disney Plus is home to an extensive library of movies and TV shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and 20th Century Fox. The catalog includes several original films and series developed exclusively for the streaming service.
Though "Black Is King" is the first visual album to debut on Disney Plus, the platform features a growing assortment of musicals. A filmed version of the Broadway musical "Hamilton" premiered on July 3, and Disney Plus also includes a stage-to-screen adaptation of "Newsies."
Other movie-musicals on Disney Plus include the 1999 edition of "Annie," as well as Disney's many animated classics, like "The Lion King," "Aladdin," "The Little Mermaid," and "Beauty and the Beast."