Disney Wants You To Know Disney+ Isn’t Just For Kids and its Originals Boss Is Pushing For More Adult Content

Disney+ is in the middle of a major recalibration, and the message from inside the company is clear. As the streamer expands globally, it wants audiences to understand that it offers far more than classic family programming.

During a keynote at Content London, Eric Schrier, the head of Disney Television Studios and overseer of Disney+ Originals, laid out the direction he’s giving producers as the platform refines what it commissions around the world.

Schrier explained that creators should focus on adult driven projects, whether they lean into documentaries, dramas, or comedies. “We’re not dogmatic,” Schrier said during his presentation.

“Obviously, comedies, dramas, limited series are the backbone of what we do. Unscripted is a big part of the Disney brand, and Disney plus and ABC in particular, whether it’s ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ or our doc series or our true crime based series. So we’re looking to do a portfolio of content.”

While the streamer’s U.S. headquarters continues to handle traditional kids and family content, Schrier said that the international Disney+ programming teams across Europe and Latin America should not expect those pitches to move forward. The mission now is adult content that can stand beside the major Disney brands already driving subscribers.

A big part of the strategy is an emphasis on originals that genuinely reflect the countries they come from. As Schrier put it, the answer for what Disney+ wants is “local.”

“We have global brands and IP that travel the world, whether that’s Disney branded shows and films, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Hulu, FX, and so we don’t need to make local content around the world to supplement that, right?

“We need to make local content that complements that. So what we’re trying to do is a very local for local strategy to complement our global brands and IP so we don’t need to flood each market with a ton of content.

“ …And what we’re trying to do is expand the perception of Disney plus by doing local content that has local flavor. So French shows for a French audience, Spanish shows for a Spanish for audience, U.K. shows for a U.K. audience.”

In a conversation with producer Roma Khanna, Schrier shared that his division is already making around one hundred shows each year for Disney+, spread across twenty markets in multiple languages.

He also talked about increased international spending, pointing to recent comments from Disney CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston, saying: “There’s a strong desire, because we identify that we need local content to appeal to local audiences.” He added that the company sees major growth opportunities ahead, particularly in Europe and Asia.

With Disney+ now five years old, Schrier reflected on what the platform learned from its early worldwide expansion. Phase 1 tried to do too much. “We spread it too thin,” he said, explaining that Phase 2 is about being “much more targeted about which territories we’re going into, where we think we can grow the service in the most.”

Through all of this, one of Disney+’s biggest challenges remains shifting how people perceive the service. A significant priority has been showing subscribers that it isn’t defined solely by kids’ content.

Schrier called that effort “really hard,” and said it’s one reason they want more boundary pushing programming on the platform.

“Our first instinct was change the perception of Disney plus, and that is really hard,” he said. That goal feeds directly into the push for adult programming. “

We’re not really developing shows for kids and family, that’s really done by our global brands and IP,” he added. “So we’re really looking to do Hulu originals across the world, and showing people that there’s content for adults on Disney plus.”

Disney+ is clearly aiming to broaden its identity and stake out more space in adult entertainment while still supporting the iconic brands fans already know. If Schrier’s playbook holds, subscribers around the world can expect more region focused dramas, comedies, documentaries, and unscripted projects that give the service a fresh, grown up edge.

Source: Variety