As an increasing number of streaming services have become popular, big names have had to do a lot to stand out. Programming is the most obvious way of doing so, with Netflix invest heavily in creating original content. Disney+ has had to do the same, though it does have the benefit of a vast collection of hot IPs under its belt.
This is especially true with Marvel, which Disney owns. As a result, it was able to launch a variety of programs set either in or adjacent to the MCU. Alongside this is the Star Wars IP, with Disney+ seeing success with this year’s The Mandalorian, which became the streaming service’s biggest hit to date.
However, The Mandalorian was quickly knocked off its perch by Netflix’s The Witcher. While this may be a problem in itself, what poses a larger issue is Disney+’s 2020 program schedule. In short, it’s looking pretty sparse, with Falcon and the Winter Soldier being one of its only anticipated releases for this year.
As such, Disney+ has moved up the release date of WandaVision, which was initially scheduled for release in early 2021. While the change hasn’t officially been confirmed, WandaVision was included in a sizzle reel that the streaming service released, which focused on 2020’s upcoming releases.
As such, it’s unclear as to whether it will be released before or after Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which centers on the titular characters after the events of Avengers: Endgame. WandaVision does the same, with the premise focusing specifically on Scarlett Witch and Vision in the years after Endgame.
That said, these are the only two Marvel properties that Disney+ has confirmed to be releasing in 2020. There are a few other notable titles set to be released on the platform during the coming year, though. Some of the more anticipated of these are Monsters at Work, which is a spin-off to Monsters Inc., and the return of Lizzie McGuire.
Despite this, Disney+ should be worried about a drop in subscribers with such a large gap between original content shows. HBO saw this happen after the finale of Game of Thrones, with there being no shows to replace it. As such, Disney+ may have moved WandaVision’s release date to 2020 to help avoid this.