Canal+, which launched Disney+ in the French market, is to lose the streaming service from 1 January 2025. Disney announced Monday that its content would no longer be available to Canal’s subscribers – the day that the Vivendi-owned company was celebrating its 40th anniversary. It is a major blow for the pay-TV operator that has successfully pivoted to a super-aggregator after an earlier loss of rights to French top-flight football.
In addition to Disney+, remaining linear channels such as Disney Channel will also be pulled, as will content from the Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar franchises, at least in the short-term. The decision by Disney no longer let its latest films be broadcast by the pay-TV service six months after their cinema release, as is in the norm in France means it will now take 17 months before viewers are able to stream the latest titles through Disney+.
A spokesperson for Disney told Broadband TV News: “From 1 January, Canal’s customers will no longer be able to watch our upcoming new movie releases, Disney+ or our channels through Canal’s offering. Our blockbuster movies, award-winning TV series, and exclusive Originals remain widely available on Disney+ directly and through partners for everyone to enjoy their favorite stories from our brands.”
Speaking on France Info Gérald-Brice Viret, CEO of Canal+ France, was putting on a brave face. “They had the delicacy to do it on our anniversary. And on the other hand, 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+,” he said.
In 2019, Canal signed an exclusive distribution agreement for Disney’s streaming platform, a few months before its launch in France.