Disney+'s first live-streaming channel debuted with a line-up of fan-favorite Marvel and Star Wars content.
As part of Disney's ongoing effort to boost viewership and compete with other streamers, the House of Mouse announced four live-streaming channels or "streams" for the platform, including the seasonal Hallowstream, the nostalgia-powered Throwbacks, the docu-centric Real Life, and the newly-launched Marvel and Star Wars TV channel titled Hits & Heroes.
Disney+ Debuts Marvel & Star Wars Live-Streaming Channel
On its inaugural night, Disney+'s new Hits & Heroes live channel lived up to its name with a curated schedule featuring Marvel Studios and Star Wars programming, including a Marvel hero both on and off the screen and an episode of The Mandalorian.
Here's a snapshot of the channel's content, with Marvel and Star Wars highlights, from the night it launched (Monday, September 30):
- Black Panther: 7:15 p.m. ET - 9:30 p.m. ET
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: 9:30 p.m. ET - 12:11 a.m. ET
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: 12:11 a.m. ET - 2:34 a.m. ET
- The Mandalorian (Chapter 1): 2:34 a.m. ET - 3:13 a.m. ET
Given Black Panther's significance and Chadwick Boseman's real-world legacy now four years after his passing, the 2018 film was a fitting choice for Hits & Heroes' debut night.
The Mandalorian's original episode was also appropriate, particularly since it launched with Disney+ in 2019 and introduced audiences to Mando and pop-culture sensation Baby Yoda (aka Grogu).
The following is all of the content currently listed in the "Featured in Hits and Heroes" on Disney+'s "Streams" page, which will get refreshed on a monthly basis:
- Doctor Who
- Star Wars: Tales of the Empire
- X-Men '97
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians
- Doctor Who Special 1-3
- Ahsoka
- Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi
- Andor
- Thor: Love and Thunder
- Obi-Wan Kenobi
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- Moon Knight
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- What If...?
- Jungle Cruise
- Black Widow
- Loki
- Star Wars: The Bad Batch
- WandaVision
- Black Panther
- Captain America: The First Avenger
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
- National Treasure
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
- Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
- Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Why a Star Wars & Marvel Channel on Disney+?
The option of tailored "streams" on Disney+ comes at an interesting time for the platform.
Disney+ just became profitable in August 2024, ABC News and Disney+ Playtime live feeds were only added to the streamer earlier in September, and an ESPN title (the platform's seventh) is set to launch in December at the end of this year.
It will be fascinating to see how these changes will improve Disney+'s growth and performance and at what rate.
Still, since Hits & Heroes focuses on Marvel, Star Wars, and other marquee franchises, this channel will likely be under Disney's microscope for multiple reasons. In addition to being the stream with the broadest appeal, what subscribers stop to watch may provide Disney with new data, especially in the wake of Marvel Studios and Star Wars' struggles with Disney+ output.
Disney+'s four new live streams, including Hits & Heroes, are only available to Premium subscribers.
