Disney+ pauses Canadian content production before even commissioning anything

Disney+ has halted its original Canadian content production, Variety reports.

The pause is expected to remain in effect through the rest of 2023 and, possibly, extend into 2024. Disney didn’t provide any reasoning for the move, notes Variety, although it could be related to the company’s ongoing cost-cutting efforts, which include plans to reduce annual non-sports content spending by $3 billion USD (about $4 billion CAD).

The outlet also speculates that this could be related to Bill C-11, the Government of Canada’s recently enacted ‘Online Streaming Act,‘ which requires streamers like Disney+ to be subject to the same content laws as broadcasters. This means that they need to invest in the creation and promotion of Canadian content.

In any case, Disney’s move is particularly noteworthy because, per Variety, Disney hasn’t actually committed to a single Canadian production to date. While the streamer has content starring Canadians, like Ms. Marvel (Markham, Ontario’s Iman Vellani), or helmed by Canadians, such as Turning Red from Toronto’s Domee Shi, these are still American productions.

Otherwise, the entertainment giant hasn’t produced any content in Canada that’s made by Canadians. This is despite the fact that Disney appointed Telefilm executive Stephanie Azam as its director of content for Canada last year while talking up its plans for Canadian content, including, potentially, a Canadian show in the vein of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag.

Meanwhile, other American streamers in Canada have already been producing Canadian content, such as Amazon’s Prime Video (The Lake, Three Pines), or officially commissioned productions, like Paramount+ did earlier this week.

The Disney+ news is coming out of the ongoing Banff World Media Festival, where entertainment companies come together to discuss television and digital content. According to Variety, Disney was a no-show at the Canadian event.

Source: Variety