Disney+ is throwing open the vaults today to Star, a new entertainment hub within its existing streaming service that caters to more grown-up tastes for Hollywood fare.
More than 150 TV series and 500 movies from Disney’s Hulu, 20th Century Studios and the FX channel will be available to Canadians on launch day — but it comes with a catch.
You can’t subscribe to Star without being signed up for Disney+.
And Disney is raising the subscription price for all users. Monthly rates will go from $8.99 to $11.99 for new Canadian users starting today, and the price increase will take effect for existing subscribers over the summer.
In exchange, viewers will have access to major franchises, Alien, Planet of the Apes and Die Hard among them, and a slate of TV series from Alias and Family Guy to classics Hill Street Blues and M.A.S.H.
“Disney+ has touched the lives of nearly a hundred million people around the globe by providing a home for exceptional storytelling from the beloved brands of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, and today’s launch of the Star-branded international general entertainment offering marks an exciting expansion for the service,” said Rebecca Campbell, Chairman, International Operations and Direct-to-Consumer, The Walt Disney Company.
“With the addition of Star, we’re building even more value for consumers by adding an incredible array of high-quality movies and series for families, older teens, and adults, fueled by the acquisition of 21st Century Fox and our creative studios.”
Disney is also introducing a family-friendly control system that allows parents to lock their children out of certain ratings levels.