As the streaming wars heat up, and Loki’s success continues to rise, Disney has decided to switch up its scheduling. According to various reports, Disney Plus original shows will now premiere on Wednesday instead of the standard Friday time. The change is set to take place at the start of July, and it looks like all upcoming series from the Magical Kingdom’s streaming service will have a mid-week launch from now on.
The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Disney’s decision to move from Friday to Wednesday is to help accommodate content output, which recently has been significantly picking up pace. You’ve got Loki and the Marvel shows, as well as The Mandalorian, and various Star Wars series gradually coming out. Movies are still keeping their Friday premiere time slots, but this makes sense in the grand scheme of things, as the company can get everything out without worrying about films and series competing for viewers’ attention.
But after looking at the big picture in the streaming world, and taking note of the current trending series, there seems to be more behind Disney’s scheduling shift than first meets the eye.
The recent success of the Marvel show Loki probably had a hand in Disney’s decision. According to IGN, Disney CEO Bob Chapek revealed that Loki is the most streamed show in Disney Plus’ history. The series was also one of the first to break the Friday formula, streaming on a Wednesday instead, and appears to have been the catalyst for the complete programming overhaul.
Competition between other streaming services could have been a factor for Disney Plus’s changes as well. Netflix still tops the market in the streaming world, and releases new content every Friday. To avoid clashing with the giant, Disney Plus’ new Wednesday time may have been a strategic choice, letting it try and gain more momentum in the streaming market without competing against other platforms.
We will soon find out if this Wednesday change pays off for Disney, as Monsters at Work, Turner & Hooch, and Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life will be the first series to experience the time shift this July.
Need a Marvel crash course? Here is our MCU timeline. Or you can look through our list of the best Disney movies.