Disney+ Premier Access is a premium release strategy for the global on-demand Internet streaming media provider, owned and operated by Disney. The Premier Access option was created to ensure people could still access major new releases in areas with closed movie theaters, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]
The first film released with Premier Access was the 2020 live-action release Mulan. The films are released to Disney+ in most markets on the same day as their theatrical release (with the exception of Mulan, which was only initially released through Premier Access), and can be accessed for a one-time payment of US$29.99 (or an approximately equivalent payment in local currency). Unlike other premium video-on-demand releases, which typically expire within 48 hours of first viewing, Premier Access films can be rewatched as many times as desired, provided the customer remains subscribed to Disney+. However, these films are eventually made available on Disney+ without the need for an additional payment, typically thirteen weeks (91 days) after release.[1]
Due to local regulations that prevent theatrical releases from being released on to streaming services until 36 months after release, Premier Access is not available in France. Instead, Mulan was made available to all Disney+ subscribers in France on a later date,[2] while all other titles were only released theatrically in the country. Jungle Cruise is intended to be the final film released in 2021 as part of the strategy.[3][4]
