NetflixUpdate: According to Netflix, this exciting new deal is only going to include brand new Disney theatrical releases. That means that while we'll be able to stream everything that hits theaters in 2016, we won't be able to burn through the entire Disney archives. Stay tuned to E! for all the latest details on exact titles and release dates.
Everybody loves Netflix. It's the company who brought us the funniest group of prison inmates yet. They gave the world the Full House reunion we've been waiting decades for. It allows us to watch Kyle Chandler literally whenever we please. What could go wrong?
Except that, lest we forget, before all those awesome original series the streaming service was kind of just a collection of B-movies and the occasional classic sitcom. Its movie selection has always been pretty lacking—sure, every month in the new additions they give us a goodie like a recent Oscar winner or new release, but those flicks rarely stick around for the long haul. And in between these rare gems we're forced to choose between watching, say, Kindergarten Cop 2 or Christian Mingle The Movie. (And yes, those are real options.)
But now, it seems that Netflix has finally gotten wise to this deficit. They're not doing a total overhaul of movie content, but they are pushing a pretty big improvement come fall.
Starting this September, Netflix will be the exclusive home of every single new Disney movie (for paid subscriptions, that is). That means every theatrical release for all of Marvel, all of Pixar, all of Lucasfilm. This is going to be the first time that this library of movies is going to a non-cable entity, so it's a pretty big deal for the industry in addition to being a big deal for the fans.
The announcement was oh-so-sneakily added into Netflix's announcement of its summer lineup, and it initially caused a bit of concern. That's because as of today, June 1, some very important '90s Disney flicks were removed from the site, including Hercules, Mulan and Hunchback of Notre Dame. Naturally, Disney aficionados panicked. And why wouldn't you? The '90s were perhaps the most important Disney era of all time.
Luckily, come September, we'll have a whole new slate of Disney flicks to scratch the itch. And as for timing on those highly-anticipated titles (cough...Finding Dory...cough), we can expect them to hit Netflix seven to nine months after they leave theaters. Not too shabby, considering you won't have to leave your couch to watch. Thanks for doing us all a solid, Netflix.