Disney+ Allowing More Mature Content
The Marvel Netflix shows and Moon Knight are just the beginning
Bound to happen sooner or later, Disney+ was only one-good-reason away from adding more mature content to their streaming service. Well, they found one. Marvel, of course.
Disney
Disney is one of the strongest and most popular brand names in the world. Their patrons know what they’re getting and have come to expect it. Disney’s brand is very specific. Family-friendly all the way. So what led to this tonal shift for their streaming platform? Let’s take a look.
The Disney Brand
Disney owns mature content. Like many other companies, they package properties differently based on the demographics they’re attempting to reach. Touchstone Pictures released many R-rated films for decades while being owned by Disney.
Not surprisingly, when Disney acquired 20th Century Fox in 2019 it kept a couple of studios to distribute mature content from. Now rebranded 20th Century Studios along with its subsidiary Searchlight Pictures (Formerly Fox Searchlight Pictures) distribute most of Disney’s more mature-rated films.
This brings us to Hulu. Acquiring majority ownership in the streaming service during the 2019 Fox deal it has become the main home of Disney’s mature shows and movies.
Until now.
Marvel Changes the Rules
You could argue The Simpsons isn’t a kid’s show. While edgy and on the fence for some parents, it didn’t cause Disney too much trouble when they added it to their streaming service. Not to mention it’s very popular on the service as well.
Marvel and Lucasfilm on the other hand are arguably carrying the water for signups to Disney+. Outside of having children who watch the service why are adults holding on to a subscription? For the Marvel and Star Wars shows of course.
The addition of the Marvel Netflix shows aren’t much of a surprise for most. Especially those who’ve seen one of the MCU’s latest movies. However, their addition to Disney+ is a departure.
The Punisher on Disney+?
I don’t have a problem with it but some parents will, and some others who hold Disney in a place of reverence will also. The Punisher is not a Disney type of show. As the best version of the character I’ve seen on screen, it stays as true to the vicious nature of the man as Netflix was willing to go at the time.
Moon Knight promises to be on the level of The Punisher or even further in that direction. According to an interview with Empire Magazine, Kevin Feige said about Oscar Isaac,
“He’s Brutal.”
Raise your hand if you ever imagined equating a Disney+ show with the word Brutal.
Just the Beginning
You could easily just say, “follow the money.” If Disney+ wants to grow as a streaming service they have to appeal to more than just children. They also have to position themselves to offer more than only Marvel and Star Wars to adults. National Geographic notwithstanding they need more content.
The choice is clear.
What better way to introduce the concept than with arguably its most popular vertical in Marvel? If this succeeds, which it most likely will, you can expect Disney to push the envelope a little further next time. There is now already a filter for children set up on the streaming service.
Disney+ is poised to push the pedal down on mature content. We should expect R-rated content on the service in the future. What kind of stories could Kevin Feige and Marvel tell if the “governor” was taken off? The next Daredevil season which is rumored to be in the works already? What about The Punisher? The possibilities are exciting. It’s not going to happen but an X-Men cinematic universe separate from the MCU allowed to be R-rated and written with a darker tone could be excellent.
There will always be a line for Disney. One they won’t allow their content to cross. Their brand is everything to them so they will protect it. However, Disney is a business that operates to make money. So business decisions must be made, and this is just one of them.
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