Disney takes its best back off Stan

Stan streaming service subscribers will no longer be able to watch such hits as The Lion King, Toy Story and the Marvel films.

The Walt Disney Company has pulled its best-known programs and films from subscription streaming service Stan ahead of the local launch of Disney+ this Tuesday.

Marvel films and movies ­including The Lion King, Toy Story and The Incredibles have been removed from the platform, which has hosted the content since last December.

The Disney tile that appeared on the home page of Stan has been removed, but some programs remain on the service, ­including two seasons of Lizzie McGuire.

Stan declined to comment on the removal of content and its ­future plans with Disney.

A subsidiary of Nine Entertainment, Stan first signed a partnership with Disney last ­December, which chief executive Mike Sneesby said was part of the platform’s “ongoing commitment” to providing the “very best premium entertainment”.

Mr Sneesby has previously said he wants to continue the partnership after the one-year deal expired next month.

Ahead of the arrival of ­Disney+, Stan struck a deal with US Studio Paramount Pictures in which movies including Station Eleven and Devil in the White City joined the platform.

Stan has other arrangements with major production houses including Showtime, Starz and MGM.

The removal of Disney’s content from Stan follows the ­removal of the Disney Movie channel from subscription service Foxtel earlier this month.

It was replaced by new channel Foxtel Movie Kids, which ­includes films such as Shaun The Sheep and Adventures of Elmo in Grouch Land.

Foxtel, which is owned by The Australian’s publisher News Corp, remains the home of Disney’s FX studio.

Disney’s flagship streaming service launched in the US last Tuesday, attracting 10 million users in its first 24 hours.

However, the launch of the product came with technical glitches, a problem which the company blamed on unexpectedly high demand.

In a preview presentation, Disney chief executive Robert Iger said that Disney+ was “one of the most important initiatives we’ve ever engaged”.

The platform offers content from brands including Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic, and will be available on Apple, Google, Microsoft and Sony devices for $8.99 a month.

Disney has told investors it expects the new service to have between 60 million and 90 million subscribers by the end of the fiscal year 2024, at which point it should achieve profitability.

In June, The Australian reported that Stan may consider a partnership with other Disney properties, such as Hulu.

There is still the possibility of a bundle deal with Disney. However, nothing has been confirmed.

Foxtel chief executive Patrick Delany has also previously said a Disney tie-up with a local player was “on the cards”.

Disney has also been talking to telco and media players to promote and integrate its application.

Disney+ will compete with a number of streaming services ­already available in the Australian market such as Netflix, Foxtel Now and Kayo Sports, CBS’s 10 All Access, Amazon Prime Video and NBC Universal’s Hayu.

But the price point varies ­between the services. Netflix’s basic and standard plans cost $9.99 and $13.99 respectively, but are higher than Disney’s soon-to-launch service at $8.99 a month or $89.99 a year. Stan, meanwhile, charges $10 a month for its basic plan, while its standard and premium plans cost $14 and $17, respectively.