Disney+ subscribers now have an opportunity to press play on two beloved R-rated horror flicks this July when the streamer expands its ever-growing library of films and TV shows. Since its partnership with Hulu and ESPN+, Disney+ has become more comfortable with adding more mature projects to its ranks. For example, Longlegs (one of the biggest horror movies of 2024) is available to stream on Disney+ for subscribers who have the bundle with Hulu content. It is also worth mentioning that Disney+ has dropped its own TV-MA content (Daredevil: Born Again, for instance), which is the TV equivalent of R.
Starting July 1, Disney+ added Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's 28 Weeks Later and Fede Alvarez's Alien: Romulus to the streaming platform. Both films are rated R and hold a special place in the hearts of many horror fans, so they are both notable additions for Disney+ to make to its library.
Disney revealed this information in an official press release, which also came with the exciting detail that both films would be available to Disney+ standalone subscribers. This means that, for the month of July, subscribers who only have the Disney+ plan (not the bundle with Hulu and/or ESPN+) will be able to watch select content from those services. So, even with the most basic Disney+ subscription, 28 Weeks Later and Alien: Romulus will be made available.
The House of Mouse did not provide a specific date for when both films will be added to Disney+, but since they will seemingly be part of some kind of promotion, it is possible they will make their debuts at the beginning of the month and be available throughout all of July.
It is also worth noting that other films will be added to Disney+ in July, but some of those titles have not been specified. Some that have been announced include Independence Day and Ford v. Ferrari.
Why Is Disney+ Adding 28 Weeks Later and Alien: Romulus?
Although 28 Weeks Later and Alien: Romulus are beloved movies and would likely perform well on the streaming platform no matter what, their additions to Disney+ may be motivated by other factors.
28 Years Later, the direct sequel to 28 Weeks Later, will be premiering in theaters on June 20, 2025, less than two weeks before the beginning of July. That movie is expected to be a hit with fans, so Disney could be capitalizing on adding 28 Weeks Later around the same time as its sequel's release date in hopes that it will bring in even more viewership.
Alien: Romulus was only released in late 2024, and no new Alien film is set to come out in 2025, so that same logic can't really apply to its addition to Disney+. However, a new Predator movie (Predator: Badlands) will be debuting in theaters on November 7, 2025.
Although they are not technically the same, the Alien and Predator franchises have crossed over before. In 2004, a film titled Alien vs. Predator was released, and, since then, more than a few people have categorized the films within each franchise together.
Therefore, Disney could be looking at the coming release of Predator: Badlands and think it could drive people to watch Alien: Romulus on Disney+ before the Predator movie comes out a few months later.
However, it is almost a guarantee that Disney+ is choosing such beloved films simply due to its hopes that Disney+ subscribers will then upgrade to the Hulu bundle.
