Enjoy Disney on Netflix while you still can
Titles are being pulled for a new, exclusive service
Is a little over two years enough time to relive your childhood?
Netflix users better hope so, because by 2020, Disney is planning to pull its entire catalog of beloved movies from the streaming service. Why? So the titles can appear exclusively on a brand-new Disney subscription service, Disney Chairman and CEO Robert Iger announced Tuesday.
According to Netflix, U.S. subscribers will have access to Disney films on the service through the end of 2019, and films shown theatrically through 2018.
Upcoming films Frozen 2, Toy Story 4 and a live-action version of The Lion King won’t make it to Netflix.
So what should you watch to prepare for the deletion of Disney? We recommend these 10 titles that are available to watch right now:
1 ‘MOANA’ (2016)
Netflix calls it a story about a “Polynesian girl destined to be her island’s chief.” We call it a brightlycolored lesson in girl power and ballad-singing.
2‘ ZOOTOPIA’ (2016)
Zootopia won the animated film Oscar for reasons including how it used animals to show themes of tolerance and diversity, without being preachy. And the sloth-filled DMV scene is hilarious.
3‘ THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS’ (1993)
What’s This? Only one of the greatest stop-motion animation movies ever made, courtesy of Tim Burton. Another Burton Disney movie, Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016), is also available to stream on Netflix.
4‘ FANTASIA’ (1940)
The trippy animated film, choreographed to the tune of classical music, should be added to your queue immediately.
And if you’re looking for more classic Disney animation, check out the Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films collection housed on Netflix, which contains a dozen short films, from the musical John Henry and Frozen Fever to Oscar winners Paperman and Feast.
5‘ THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE’ (2000)
David Spade voices an emperor who turns into a llama. What follows is very silly, and the voices of John Goodman and Patrick Warburton make it that much better.
6‘ FINDING DORY’ (2016)
The forgetful fish from Finding Nemo returns, this time with a 7-legged octopus (er, septapus) that brilliantly showcases Pixar’s latest animation technology.
7‘ LILO & STITCH’ (2002)
Stitch is one of the cutest animated creatures there ever was, like a cross between E.T. and Toothless (of How to Train Your Dragon fame). You’ll root for him and his Hawaiian bud, Lilo
8 ‘ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE’ (2001)
OK, so this wasn’t one of Disney’s big successes, but it’s worth revisiting Michael J. Fox’s nerdy scholar, Milo, if just to see his animated character wear hipster glasses before they were cool.
9‘ PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL’ (2003)
It’s the first (and arguably the best) film of the Pirates franchise. Consider re-watching if just for Hans Zimmer’s magnificent score.
10 QUEEN OF KATWE (2016)
Another live-action Disney film available on Netflix, this movie based on the true story of a young Ugandan chess champion stars Lupita Nyong’o.
OK, WE LIED. WE HAVE MORE ...
‘THE BFG’ AND ‘PETE’S DRAGON’ (2016)
Though it didn’t make waves at the box office, Steven Spielberg ’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s novel is both heartwarming and visually stunning.
The same can be said for the live-action Pete’s Dragon (2016)
Also: It’s unclear where the Disney-owned Star Wars franchise fits into this deal, but it’s probably a good idea to watch Rogue One: A Star Wars Story sometime soon, too, if you don’t plan to subscribe to Disney’s new streaming service(s).