Disney will spend $8bn more on content in 2022 than 2021, mostly on shows and movies for its streaming platforms.
For the 2022 fiscal year, which began on October 1, 2021, Disney plans to increase its content spending to $8bn.
According to the company’s annual report, which was filed with the SEC, Disney plans to spend approximately $33bn on content over the next year, inclusive of its streaming programming, linear programming, and sports content.
“The increase is driven by higher spend to support our DTC expansion and generally assumes no significant disruptions to production due to Covid-19,” the company wrote in the annual report. In other words, the $8bn content boost is driven by the company’s streaming initiatives at Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, rather than any of the company’s linear TV or film businesses.
The massive spending strategy underlines how Disney is approaching direct-to-consumer content as a high priority, expanding its investment in streaming with a sense of urgency.
Disney’s Studios division plans to release some 50 titles for theatrical release and on its direct-to-consumer platforms, while its General Entertainment division plans to produce or commission 60 unscripted series, 30 comedy series, 25 drama series, 15 docuseries/limited series, 10 animated series and five made for TV movies in fiscal 2022.
General Entertainment includes the ABC and Disney TV studios, National Geographic, and FX Productions. while Studios includes Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures, LucasFilm, Pixar, and 20th Century Studios.
