When it became clear in September 2020 that movie theatres around the world would be closed indefinitely, some studios sold movie rights to streaming services. However, now armed with their very own streaming service and millions of subscribers, Disney are offering their latest movies to you direct – without the need for a trip to the cinema!
What is Disney Plus Premier Access?
The name of this “service within a service” is Disney Plus Premier Access – and it’s turned out to be a huge success for the studio. The live-action version of Mulan in September 2020 was the first Premier Access title, followed up with Raya and the Last Dragon.
The idea behind Disney Plus Premier Access is simple – rather than sending a movie out into cinemas at a premium price, Disney Premier Access diverts it to the streaming service instead, where anyone with a current Disney Plus subscription can pay a one-off extra charge to gain access to the movie in pristine digital quality (4K and Dolby Vision included). Or, stream it as much as they like as long as they maintain a Disney Plus subscription.
Pay for Premier Access – Or Watch Later
Those who don’t want to pay the Premier Access price can simply wait. Disney has been completely open about the fact that all Premier Access movies will eventually stream for no extra cost as part of a Disney Plus subscription. It usually takes around three months from a film’s Disney release to it joining the regular Disney Plus line-up. That’s been the case with both Mulan and Raya and the Last Dragon, which are both now available to all Disney Plus subscribers at no extra cost (Raya and the Last Dragon hit the service on June 4, while Mulan was made available a few months ago.)
Sign up now on Disney+
Watch new and classic TV and movies from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, National Geographic, 21st Century Fox and Star from one streaming service. Plus, catch the latest blockbusters before they’re available for streaming with the new Premier Access.
New Films Available on Disney Plus Premier Access
The latest brand new movies to get the Disney Plus Premier Access treatment are biggies – kicking off with Cruella, the origin story behind the legendary villain from 101 Dalmatians which was released early, bypassing the cinema and instead hitting Premier Access on May 28. Cruella is played by Emma Stone, who has a terrific time playing Cruella De Vil in a film set in the late 1970s punk era in London. It’s definitely a modern film reboot that suggests some sequels might be in the works if it does well – and so far, it’s been a hit. As a Disney Plus subscriber, you can watch Cruella right now with Premier Access for a one-time extra fee.
If you’re a subscriber of Disney Plus, you’ll also be able to watch a huge range of TV shows from the likes of Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic. Disney Plus are constantly updating their library so stay tuned with our Best shows to watch on Disney Plus article.
Released Next on Premier Access
The next of the new releases announced for Disney Plus Premiere Access is great news – a blockbuster announced just days ago and the next film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Widow. It was completed before the pandemic and, like many other films, waiting for a date to get released in theaters. Disney has now changed its mind about trying to get Black Widow a cinema release – instead, it will be made available for streaming via Premier Access on July 9. It’s likely to also make its way to theaters in some countries.
With Scarlett Johanansson front and centre as the star of the film, it looks like a great action flick that’s sure to please Marvel fans, even if the character is unlikely to be a part of future films in the ever-expanding series. Again, there’ll be a window between when the film is released on Disney Premier Access, and when it will be available with a standard Disney Plus offer – most likely three months after the July 9 release date.
How Much do you Pay for Premier Access?
Films on Disney Premier Access are priced to reflect their first-run status – in Australia you’re looking at a payment of $34.99 to purchase access and start streaming the film. It’s a reasonable price if you take into account what it costs to see the film with your family or friends in the cinema, and having the film available from launch day to watch as many times as you like is worth the cost. Note that for a subscriber in the US, Premier Access costs 29.99 USD for the same purchase, so Australians are actually getting a better deal!
Subscribing to Disney Plus
For those without an active Disney Plus subscription, the cost to gain access to watch Disney Premier Access new releases as well as thousands of hours of films and TV shows is a mere $11.99 per month. Once you’re signed up you’ll be able to watch Disney+ Shows and Movies Mulan right away and Raya and the Last Dragon from June 4, as part of your Disney subscription. Then, via Disney Plus Premier Access, you can stream Cruella right now, and be ready for the long-awaited release of Black Widow on July 9th.
All your streaming services in one place
Compare now
