Disney+ Killed The Walt Disney Company

Overview

The video argues that Disney+’s latest earnings point to strong streaming profitability, but that Disney’s same-day decision to partner with TikTok—through a Disney+ “Verts” vertical-video feed—signals deeper strategic desperation. Specifically, it claims Disney’s expensive original franchise content (Marvel/Star Wars/Disney) no longer reliably drives cultural relevance or sustained audience demand.

Reported Earnings vs. Content Strategy

• Disney’s fiscal Q3 (reported Aug 5, 2026) shows:
  • Streaming operating income more than doubling to ~$700M
  • Margins rising from ~7% to ~13%
• Subscription revenue is reported up 15%, attributed mainly to:
  • 9% subscriber growth
  • ~3% from price hikes
  • ~3% from advertising

However, the presenter claims that viewing is dominated by licensed content and non-Disney originals, not Disney+’s own franchise output. Using Luminate data, they argue:

• Disney+ originals account for only ~2% of U.S. streaming original viewing time
• Netflix is ~57%
• Hulu is ~7%

Critique: Disney’s Originals Are Framed as Losing Value

The video contends that Disney+ original releases—citing titles such as Wonder Man, Daredevil: Born Again S2, and Percy Jackson S2—are not performing like “priority” originals in charts or generating sustained interest.

It also argues Disney has made fan participation less rewarding by turning many Marvel/Star Wars storylines into something akin to “required reading.”

The presenter references Bob Iger’s 2023 admission that Disney produced too much content for the streaming push, creating “diluted focus,” and that Disney planned to make less and spend less. The video claims the situation worsened by 2026.

“Smoking Gun” Claim: TikTok Integration as Evidence of Desperation

On the same morning Disney highlights streaming profit, Disney announces a collaboration with TikTok:

• Selected TikTok creators can use licensed Disney IP to create vertical videos
• A curated subset appears in Disney+’s Verts swipe feed (launched March 2026, reportedly first seen on other platforms earlier)

The presenter interprets this as “cowardice/desperation,” arguing Disney is:

• Unable or unwilling to keep funding costly franchise TV
• Turning to cheaper creator/user-made content to keep the platform stocked

Cost and Pipeline Arguments

The video argues Disney+ franchise shows are extremely expensive relative to audience impact, citing examples such as:

• Andor at ~$650M for two seasons
• The Acolyte near ~$300M for one season
• Many Marvel shows at ~$20–25M per episode

It also claims Disney’s near-term live-action Marvel/Star Wars pipeline is thin, describing delays, rewrites, cancellations, and reductions, including:

• Mandalorian and Grogu (box office underperformance cited as confirmation of audience indifference)
• Ahsoka S2 being reworked after Mandalorian/Grogu
• Wonder Man renewed, then later canceled for only one season
• 2026 described as the first year since Disney+ launched with no new live-action Star Wars seasons

Creator Content “Risk” Concerns

The presenter raises concerns about potential risks if Disney leans on TikTok-like creator content:

• How much Disney will pay creators for work it “can’t do anymore”
• Whether unsafe-for-kids content could be produced using Disney IP
• Whether Disney will expand creator partnerships beyond TikTok-style content

Overall Conclusion / Opinion

Even with improved financial results, the video argues Disney+ is at risk of further cultural decline because:

• Expensive flagship originals aren’t capturing mass audience attention
• Disney appears to substitute costly productions with creator-driven short-form content to maintain platform activity
• The weakening cultural relevance of the brands may outlast any short-term engagement tactics

Presenters or Contributors

• Chris Gore (mentioned as a reference/quote: “friend of the channel Chris Gore”)