summary
- Disney’s decision to withhold 4K remasters of Fox films reflects a larger issue with availability in the streaming industry.
- As streaming platforms remove content to cut costs, there is a shortage of older material online.
- Physical media is once again becoming more important as content moves between platforms and the value of ownership is emphasized.
disney The decision to hold back on releasing 4K remastered versions of Fox movies is actually part of a larger problem in the streaming industry. Disney has become one of the biggest entertainment powerhouses thanks to its own highly prestigious content lineup and acquisitions of multiple media companies. For example, in 2019 Disney acquired her 21st Century Fox, giving it control over a huge catalog of movies and TV shows. Twenty classic titles from Fox’s catalog have been remastered in his 4K, but Disney has no plans to release them anywhere.
This means there will be no video-on-demand releases, Disney+ releases, or physical media releases. Instead, Disney chose to partner with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment to handle Disney’s future physical media releases. This coincides with Disney’s decision to shut down Disney Movie Club, a subscription-based service that allows members to purchase physical copies of movies in the Disney library. It’s easy to assume there’s no great need for physical media releases anymore, but Disney’s choice to hold off on these 4K remasters is part of a frightening trend.
Too many movies and shows are already unavailable for streaming
at this point Streaming does not serve as a complete library of content. It’s frustrating that there’s a lot of older material that doesn’t have anywhere to stream online, making it very difficult to find and watch. Streaming platforms may even remove their own original content, making it virtually impossible to find.
This is often a cost-saving measure. When the platform removes content from your library, it writes off the content as a loss and reduces the amount you owe as a balance. The trend of removing content is likely to continue as this saves streamers money. While this makes sense for streamers’ bottom lines, it’s disappointing for viewers and increases the need for physical media.
viewers learned Content can move very quickly from one streaming platform to another, or disappear from streaming entirely.. This makes being able to own a physical copy important to avid consumers. But fewer and fewer places are making this a priority. For example, Disney has made it clear that it has no interest in future distribution, having entrusted the handling of physical distribution to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Although physical media is a much smaller part of the entertainment industry than it once was, it still has value and should be treated as such. Looking objectively, oppenheimer‘s 4K home release sold out at retailers nationwide. It’s clear that there are still consumers who value the ability to truly own their favorite media without fear of being removed from streaming platforms.
