Speaking at the Enders TMT (Technology, Media and Telecom) Leaders Live conference in London earlier this morning, Karl Holmes, the general manager, Disney+ EMEA confirmed that The Mandalorian and Grogu will indeed be coming to Disney Plus in this calendar year, alongside the rest of what looks set to be a very strong line-up of upcoming Disney films landing in cinemas around the world in 2026.
“There’s no other streaming service that comes close to the strength and depth of our movie content,” the exec argued, pointing out that for nine of the last 10 years, Disney has been the top studio at the EMEA box office – “and our movies come to Disney+ straight after the cinemas.” Among new releases coming to Disney+ this year are the likes of Zootopia 2, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Toy Story 5, The Mandalorian & Grogu, and The Devil Wears Prada 2.” Holmes used that fact to highlight “the importance of releasing our movies in cinema – because success at the box office has an impact that spreads far beyond the theatrical window.”
He also discussed the current state of play regarding Disney Plus in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, emphasising the strong numbers show for viewers age between 16 – 34, a key demographic that sees Disney Plus numbers higher than any of their streaming competitors.
“almost 40 percent of viewing hours on the Disney+ platform are from 16-34s. That’s higher than the equivalent for Netflix, Prime, Paramount+, Apple TV, or even YouTube.”
A chart he showed listed Disney+ at 39 percent, Netflix at 32 percent, Prime at 27 percent, Paramount+ at 23 percent and Apple TV at 20 percent.
All in all, things are going in the right direction. “It’s six years since Disney+ made its debut in Europe, and I’m pleased with the direction and the pace that we’re setting – it’s down to the creativity and hard work of our teams across the region,” the exec concluded.