Disney Plus has celebrated its fifth birthday with a packed line-up announcement including new titles from the worlds of Alien and Star Wars, plus Oscar-winning films like A Real Pain and gripping documentaries starring Chris Hemsworth and David Blaine
Disney+ is celebrating its fifth birthday this month and has marked the occasion by unveiling a packed slate of series and movies coming to the platform this year. The streamer from the House of Mouse launched in 2020 to rival the likes of Netflix and Prime Video.
Five years later, it’s just one of the platforms available in a busy industry that’s fighting for our attention. Lately, the streaming world has been dominated by the likes of Apple TV+ thriller Severance, Amazon action series Reacher, and will soon go up against Sky’s second instalment of The Last of Us.
For many telly fans, Disney+ has become known as the home of Star Wars and Marvel, plus award-winning series like The Bear, Only Murders in the Building and Shōgun, and watercooler shows like Rivals. But to mark five years on screens, Disney+ has just dropped an epic slate announcement confirming what’s still to come in 2025.
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Among the standout titles is Alien: Earth, a new series coming later this year that’s the latest instalment in the iconic sci-fi horror franchise and serves as a prequel to the 1979 original. It centres around a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers who make a fateful discovery after a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, putting them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat.
But before then, Star Wars spin-off Andor returns for its hotly-anticipated second and final season on April 23. The 12-part season will continue the story of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and the emerging rebel alliance in the climactic four years that lead to the discovery of The Death Star and the events of Rogue One.
Disney+ now costs as little as £4.99 a month, but members can get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront on the ad-free Standard or Premium plans.
Disney+ is the only place to stream hit shows like Rivals, The Bear and Shōgun, plus blockbuster franchises like Star Wars and Marvel.
From big screen to small, Jesse Eisenberg drama A Real Pain lands on April 2, with the actor-director starring alongside an Oscar-winning performance from Succession’s Kieran Culkin. On April 16, a nightmare will unfold for the seemingly happy family of chilling British thriller The Stolen Girl, as an ordinary decision turns the world of Elisa, mum to two young kids, upside down following an abduction.
Also on the horizon is Good American Family, a compelling drama starring Ellen Pompeo debuting on May 7 and inspired by the disturbing stories surrounding a Midwestern couple who adopt a girl with a rare form of dwarfism. If you’re craving drama, the scandalous reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is back for more on May 15.
Further down the line, three critically acclaimed and award-winning series are set to return later this year with new seasons of The Bear, Only Murders in the Building and Welcome to Wrexham. They will join a host of must-see documentaries such as Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, which focuses on the events surrounding the tragic 2005 killing of innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes.
There’s also an as yet untitled Freddie Flintoff Original documentary that will cover the former cricketer’s recovery from injury and career to date. This is alongside Caroline, a documentary celebrating the life and career of Caroline Flack.
Disney+ is also launching some fascinating National Geographic titles, with world-renowned magician and endurance artist David Blaine back and exploring the world through the lens of magic in David Blaine: Do Not Attempt, streaming now. Coming up is a new season of Limitless with Chris Hemsworth, in which the Thor star uncovers the latest scientific thinking and unlocks some of the world’s best-kept secrets to living a better life.
There’s also something for the foodies with Tucci in Italy and globetrotting nature documentaries like Ocean with David Attenborough and Secrets of the Penguins. Also celebrating a birthday this year is Jaws, Steven Spielberg’s iconic 1975 film that is being celebrated in Jaws At 50: The Definitive Inside Story, a new behind-the-scenes doc exploring the book’s writing and the legendary tumultuous production of the film.
All of these titles will be available to watch exclusively on Disney+, which now starts at £4.99 for a monthly subscription that can be cancelled any time. Members can get the equivalent of two months free by paying for a year upfront on the Standard or Premium plan, bagging 12 months for the price of 10 and saving up to £25.98.
The Standard plan now costs £89.90, while the Premium plan is £129.90 and also includes higher video quality up to 4K UHD and HDR, plus the ability to stream on four devices simultaneously. Disney+ members highlighted the streamer’s ‘very good selection’ as one of its standout features.
One customer said: “Very good selection, friendly support and easy to cancel if you need to. Very easy to navigate their site and the openness and transparency they show should be a model for others.”
Another said: “Disney+ has consistently delivered high-quality streaming content, from classic Disney movies to new releases, along with a wealth of popular TV shows and original content. The interface is user-friendly, making it easy to find and watch my favourite programs without any hassle.”
However, others have found their experience to be lacking, as this member said: “The content library is extensive and impressive. However, the streaming quality is inconsistent.”
