The lights are green for Orange and Disney. Following the divorce between Canal+ and the American giant, the historic operator jumped into the breach to sign “a distribution agreement”, non-exclusive, which will allow its subscribers to have access to Disney content and channels, from January 2, 2025. The Internet service provider welcomed “to enrich the entertainment offering for Orange TV subscribers”according to a press release from the group shared on Friday, December 20. Concretely, this partnership, a little different from that concluded with Canal+, will allow customers to fully access Disney content through three offers.
Access to Disney films 4 months after their theatrical release
First of all, they will have the possibility of being able to watch Disney Channel (youth) and National Geographic (documentaries) via the Orange TV application, their connected TV or their decoder. However, the Disney Junior and National Geographic Wild channels will not be distributed by Orange but will remain accessible to subscribers of the Disney+ streaming platform. To benefit from this service, subscribers to this telecom operator will have to pay a certain amount, but with access conditions “privileged” (€34.99/month for 6 months then €57.99/month). Finally, Orange will offer through its transactional VOD offer the latest cinema releases from the Disney group studios (Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures) four months after their theatrical release via the internal VOD service.
The contract with Canal+ not renewed
Until now, the channels and new films of the firm dear to Mickey were accessible to Canal+ customers, but the contract between the two groups, which ends on December 31, has not been renewed. “They had the kindness to do it on the day of our 40th anniversary (…) I can tell you that it is a fairly marginal consumption by our subscribers: they prefer, for example, Max, Paramount, Netflix, Apple TV or Ciné+ “, put Gérald-Brice Viret, general director of Canal+ France, into perspective on November 4, to minimize this decision. For his part, Christophe Pinard-Legry, general director in charge of the budget, specified: “We have not found acceptable terms with them for our subscribers which would allow us to renew this partnership. We want to remain accessible from a pricing point of view.”
