Several Disney Plus users reported noticing that some of their favorites movies have disappeared from the streaming service without warning.
What’s going on: Several films from Disney’s archive that appeared on Disney Plus at launch are no longer available, according to Polygon. A few of those films include:
- “Dr. Dolittle”
- “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”
- “Home Alone”
- “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York”
- “The Sandlot”
Why it matters: The decision surprised Disney Plus subscribers since Disney didn’t offer any warning. Other streaming services, like Netflix, will release monthly lists of new arrivals and departures. Disney Plus has also announced new films.
Why they disappeared: Licensing agreements seem to be the cause of the breakdown.
- Per Polygon: “Sources tell Polygon that encumbrances with various legacy deals are likely the reason for the departures, and that titles may rejoin the service permanently after those licenses expire.”
- The Verge reporter Julia Alexander confirmed the idea with Disney: “Can confirm that a small handful of Disney movies are running into issues with various legacy deals, and that’s why they’re being removed. Those movies will rejoin Disney Plus permanently once licenses expire with their respective parties.”
Not the end: Disney Plus subscribers might see more of their favorite films drop off the service in the coming years. There’s a chance that major franchises like Star Wars could leave Disney Plus in 2026 and return to other services like Netflix, according to Bloomberg. Of course, Disney and Netflix could strike a deal that would stop that from happening.