Disney to Reorganize Around Disney+, Sets Date of Virtual Investor Day

The House of Mouse has been keeping itself busy these past few days. Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced today some major structural changes, putting their main focus “on developing and producing original content for the Company’s streaming services.” Under this new structure, “the Studios Content, which will focus on creating branded theatrical and episodic content based on the Company’s powerhouse franchises for theatrical exhibition, Disney+ and the Company’s other streaming services; featuring content from “Disney Live-action & Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures.”

Chapek: “Given the incredible success of Disney+ and our plans to accelerate our direct-to-consumer business, we are strategically positioning our Company to more effectively support our growth strategy and increase shareholder value. Managing content creation distinct from distribution will allow us to be more effective and nimble in making the content consumers want most, delivered in the way they prefer to consume it. Our creative teams will concentrate on what they do best–making world-class, franchise-based content–while our newly centralized global distribution team will focus on delivering and monetizing that content in the most optimal way across all platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and the coming Star international streaming service.”

These sort of statements leave people to wonder how Disney might operate within the next couple of months leading into 2021, since they sound to be trying to go for the “direct to consumer” approach based on Chapek’s statements.