Marvel Fans Assemble! Disney+ Is Here!
By now, all you folks in Singapore would be aware that Disney+ is finally available for subscription. Especially after Disney “Prince” JJ Lin serenaded and cajoled you with a performance of all of Disney’s greatest sing-a-long hits yesterday that would have brought back wonderful memories of your childhood. Or would have gotten you scrambling to ask your parents what shows these songs come from, depending on your age group. I know some of you are probably jumping around celebrating this right now (seriously, i know of people who have been waiting for Disney+ for a loooooonnnnngggggg time) but most of you would probably be a little on the fence about getting a subscription for yet ANOTHER streaming platform when you already have either Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Go or even all of them! Well, if JJ can’t convince you to jump onboard, let me try and appeal to a specific group of you who are still undecided — the Marvel fans.
Honestly, if you are a TRUE Marvel fan ( as in watched every movie twice, know every character’s back AND front story, watched every easter egg breakdown, read all the Reddit threads discussing plot theories… erm… or am I the only one who does that? ) then you would already know that Disney+ is the gateway to the super expanded Marvel Universe. As many as 14 brand new shows — each exploring a different character or team — are expected to be released on Disney+, and that in itself is enough to give me a Hulk sized boner. I am not going to go through each and every single one of the shows because you can get a detailed breakdown from the hyperlink above and though mind lubricating in itself, the lineup of amazing new shows is NOT the sole reason you should scramble to subscribe.
Let me present to you 3 other definitive reasons why you HAVE to get yourself a Disney+ subscription now.
1.
PRICE IS RIGHT, NOW.
Now let’s do a simple price comparison of the various streaming platforms available in Singapore ( TV Box not considered lah!)
- Netflix — From $11.98 per month
- Amazon Prime Video — $2.99 per month
- HBO GO — $19.90 per month
- Disney+ — S$11.98 a month or S$119.98 a year
There are others like Viu, AppleTV, MeWatch (ha. ha.)but I am sure all of you would agree that these 4 are the big players. Ok so as you can see from the price breakdown that Amazon Prime Video offers the best value. That’s cause they have the worst content. Ok, maybe that’s a little harsh. They do have Preacher, Sneaky Pete, The Expanse, maybe even Hunters. But they don’t have a Signature series, like Game Of Thrones on HBO or Stranger Things & Money Heist on Netflix, and basically every Marvel show on Disney+. So if I have all 4 streaming platforms (which I do, cause I am a nerd) then I would cycle through the other 3 first before settling for Amazon, and that’s only if EVERY show not voraciously consumed by moi on those platforms don’t strike my fancy. Believe me, pre-Disney+ that has happened before.
So the next question is, is HBO Go worth the tag of most expensive streaming platform then? Answer — Not if it’s not HBO Max. Despite also having blockbuster series-es like Chernobyl, WestWorld and Raised By Wolves, HBO Go is technically phased out internationally and will probably not stream new movies like Dune, Matrix 4 and The Suicide Squad which will be shown on HBO Max as part of HBO’s deal with Warner Bros. So in spite of having the same exact service as our US friends, we had to catch Wonder Woman 1984 in the cinemas while they could slip into their PJs, sip hot coco and watch the movie with their whole family in the comfort of their own home.
Why? I don’t know why.
But if you want to know how to get HBO Max in Singapore, head to my previous article here
Ok then, so it’s a straight fight between Netflix and Disney+ then? For now I would say Netflix edges Disney+ in terms of value, but like blue chip stocks, a Disney+ subscription will only appreciate in value while Netflix’s content will slowly decline. Why? Because while not all the shows available in the US version of Disney+ is accessible to Singaporeans, the line up of — you guessed it! — Marvel shows that are coming will shoot Disney+ all the way to the top of the line in terms of content. Plus — see what I did there, wink wink — Disney will be pulling all of it’s existing content on Netflix out bit by bit, and this would significantly weaken it’s competitor’s offerings.
Price Hike Already Announced
There are already plans to hike it’s prices in other markets so trust me, although it has just launched it’s service here in Singapore, it won’t be long before the price starts going up. Getting it now will at least lock in the price for the foreseeable future, although any future increases should just be around the $1 to $2 region. But hey, money is money right?
2. HAPPY KIDS, HAPPY PARENTS
We have got to admit it. Parenting nowadays have gotten a lot easier with such a large number of kids shows to entertain your young ones with. Yes I know some of you out there would be wagging your finger and saying kids should not watch so much TV but hey, can’t you remember a time when you were completely enamored with Beauty and the Beast? Or Aladdin? Or Lady and the Tramp? You can now “impart” these emotions to the next generation, anytime on demand! There are few things in the world that stand the test of time like a true blue Disney Classic. And although Netflix has opened up the gates for anime & tween sitcom fans, their offerings in the wholesome kid-friendly range is a little thin. If you want the kids to learn values like kindness, empathy, generosity and teamwork, you can’t go wrong with a Disney. Or a Pixar flick for that matter. With both of them under one platform, this category belongs easily to Disney+
3. The Marvel Connection
Perhaps the most important reason of all, at least for me. And it’s not just because EVERY FAN is looking forward to watching every single episode of every single series, it’s because EVERYTHING is connected! It all belongs within the same universe — or multiverse-and that is what makes this so exciting. It’s like watching a movie that never really ends, with new plot twists, new characters, new worlds and dimensions to explore — all belonging within the same world — with every new series.
Remember Command and Conquer? Or Warcraft? How did these games keep players hooked? Through expansion packs, add-ons, new timelines, weapons, characters, etc. Every new feature added to the same world enhanced the gaming experience, and kept us wanting more and more. Gamers only lost interest when the game went stagnant and stopped introducing new material. Marvel has absolutely no issues with material, tapping on thousands of character stories, millions of pages of comics with endless storyline possibilities. That is how even after Avengers End Game — a monumental, history making feat of movie magic and planning in itself — the succession of movies and series shows no signs of abating. In fact, I believe it is their plan to use the TV medium, coupled with the Marvel movies that would be released in Cinemas, to hammer — Thor reference there, wink wink — out a even bigger interjoined entertainment juggernaut — X-men reference there, wink..too much? ah ok — that could again change how blockbusters are made in the future.
You know how cinema-goers always stay behind after every Marvel movie in order to view after-credits bonus scenes? I think that this would soon be integrated into it’s TV offerings. For example, scenes within Wandavision — the first Marvel series already available on Disney+ — could tease or preliminarily develop a important plot point in Spiderman No Way Home (not saying there is such a thing. Nor am I saying there isn’t. Wink wink). And vice versa, the upcoming Black Widow movie would introduce Yelena Belova as possibly Black Widow’s successor and she could play a important role in the Hawkeye tv series. This kind of inter-media plot connectivity has never been explored to such an extent before and once more fans began to understand the intimate relationship between the TV series-es and the various film releases, expect the subscription numbers to skyrocket even further, which will probably result in another announcement of subscription fee increment. Disney+ is aiming to turn a profit after as early as 2024 after all.
Each TV series now effectively acts as a teaser for the next movie, while the movies will leave enough material to feed plot points for multiple different series, leaving even the most hardcore fans satiated and hooked. One may not feel the direct impact now because the pandemic has caused a little chaos to timelines for movie releases ( chaos to timelines, get it? ) but once everything lines up in order, the sheer amount of awesomeness one after the other is going to be breathtaking.
Also, there is a minute chance that Marvel might go the Warner Bros route and release the movies direct to Disney+. Ok maybe I am dreaming a little on this one, but one can hope right?
For those who are still not caught up with all the Marvel movies though, you can now catch all those you missed on Disney+ as well. From Iron Man to End Game, all the titles are even arranged according to which Phase it belongs to, or if you prefer, according to timeline. Yes, if you were so inclined to, you can now watch them chronologically according to the time period that movie is set in in the Marvelverse! So it makes more sense! So your life would feel more complete! Because the other 5 times you have watched each movie is not enough for complete comprehension of the PROPER timeline!
And there are also the Legacy movies which explores the formerly un-integrated Marvel characters like Fantastic 4 and the X-Men. And you also have the Specials like the Legion and Agents Of Shield series. God, enough enough!!
No, not really. Give me more please.
