Disney Investors Day 2020: STAR, Hulu, FX (on Hulu), and National Geographic

Disney’s 2020 investors day was a 4-hour marathon of announcements, sizzle reels, and some big surprises. Our own Robbert de Koeijer  was there virtually. He’s broken down the big takeaways into this four part series. 

STAR

STAR will be integrated into the Disney+ service in Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It will be the home for basically everything that doesn’t fit the other “brand tiles” Disney+ currently has (Disney, Pixar, National Geographic, Marvel, Star Wars). You can expect original content as well as Hulu and FX shows and the contents of the 20th Century Fox library (including its underlying brands like Searchlight) Disney has acquired with the 21st Century Fox buyout. Titles we can expect to be part of this library are movies like Kingsman and TV series like 24. Marvel titles that are for mature audiences, like Logan and the Deadpool movies, are also to be expected to be found here.

  • With the launch of STAR into Disney+ there will also be an increase of the monthly price to €8.99. The annual price will of course also see a corresponding increase. If you are up for renewing your annual subscription we suggest you renew before STAR launches, as you will pay the current annual Disney+ subscription price.

  • STAR will launch on February 23th, but this not automatically mean in every country with Disney+. For example, Belgium was not included in the map shown.

Hulu

Disney’s streaming service Hulu caters for the adult audience in the US. We can expect new titles, and eventually most if not all older titles, to come to STAR.

  • Original movies from 20th Century Studios and Searchlight are coming to Hulu. More details about these will come in the coming months.

  • New Hulu original series: Only Murders in the Building, comedy created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman (Grace and Frankie) and also starring Steve Martin (Father of the Bride), Martin Short (Frankenweenie) and Selena Gomez (Hotel Transylvania). Three strangers who are big fans of the true crime genre find themselves wrapped up in one. Produced by 20th Television.

  • New Hulu original series: The Dropout, limited series drama starring Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live). Based on ABC News/ABC Radio’s podcast about the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and her company, Theranos. How did the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire lose it all? Produced by Searchlight TV.

  • New Hulu original series: Dopesick, limited series drama from Danny Strong (Empire) based on Beth Macy’s bestselling book. A compelling look at the epicenter of America’s struggle with opioid addiction. Starring Michael Keaton (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Rosario Dawson (Star Wars: Ahsoka), Peter Sarsgaard (The Batman). Produced by Touchstone Television (formerly Fox 21 Television).

  • New Hulu original series: Nine Perfect Strangers, limited series drama created by David E. Kelley (Big Sky) and John Henry Butterworth (Ford v. Ferrari), based on Liane Moriarty’s novel. About nine people with different backgrounds who attend a “Mind and Body Total Transformation Retreat” hosted by a mysterious Russian woman. Starring Nicole Kidman (The Undoing), Melissa McCarthy (Superintelligence) and Regina Hall (Black Monday). Produced by Made Up Stories, Blossom Films, and Endeavor Content.

  • Hulu’s smash hit The Handmaid’s Tale was confirmed to be renewed for Season 5 during the event. Season 4 will be released by Hulu in 2021.

  • Reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians moves from E! to Hulu with a multi-year deal.

FX

FX, the American cable channel known for its acclaimed original programming, has become part of the Disney empire with the 21st Century Fox buyout. Since then Hulu’s segment “Hulu on FX” has been launched and Disney is planning to expand upon its initial success.

  • FX comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia was confirmed to be renewed for no less than four seasons, taking the series from Season 15 to 18!

  • New FX original series: Coming from Noah Hawley (Legion) is a currently untitled TV scifi series in the Alien (and Predator) universe, set on Earth. Ridley Scott, the director of the original movie, as well as prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, will be attached as executive producer.

  • New FX original series: Based upon the 1975 novel by James Clavell is a new take on Shōgun. The story tells the story of the rise of daimyō Toranaga to the shogunate  throught the eyes of English sailor John Blackthorne. Previously adapted for TV in 1980, this new adaption is written by Ronan Bennett (Gunpowder).

Disney+ National Geographic Original Series

  • National Geographic Disney+ original series: Secrets of the Whales, from executive producer James Cameron (Avatar, Aliens) comes this four-part documentary, filmed over three years on 24 locations by Brian Skerry, about the life of various whale species from around the world. Narrated by Sigourney Weaver (Avatar, Alien).

  • National Geographic Disney+ original series: A Real Bug’s Life, obviously lending its name from the Pixar movie A Bug’s Life, is a ten episode series which uses state of the art cameras to register the lives of insects. From your backyard to New York City’s Central Park.

  • National Geographic Disney+ original series: Limitless with Chris Hemsworth is a series produced by Darren Aronofky (Noah) in which Thor actor Chris Hemsworth tests out the latest scientific research that can unlock the full potential of the human body.

  • National Geographic Disney+ original series: Welcome to Earth, globetrotting series also produced by Darren Aronofky (Mother!) which sends Will Smith (One Strange Rock) to active volcanos and the depths of the ocean.

  • National Geographic Disney+ original series: America the Beautiful, documentary series from the teams behind Planet Earth and the Disneynature movies. Breath taking footage shot with cameras on high-speed aircraft of the closed national parks of the United States because of the pandemic.

  • National Geographic Disney+ original series: Genius: Martin Luther King, Jr. Given the title it won’t be any surprise who will be the subject of the fourth season of NatGeo’s Genius biopic anthology drama series. But first we get Season 3, about Aretha Franklin in 2021.

  • National Geographic Documentary Films Disney+ original movie: Cousteau, a movie about the life of legendary ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, using archival footage previously unseen. Two-time Oscar-nominated and two-time Emmy-winning director Liz Garbu produces.

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