The Fate of Disney XD

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Confirmation of Disney XD India being replaced with Marvel HQ, IndianTelevision.com is a reputable source. Disney XD to be rebranded Marvel HQ

I guess if the closure of Disney XD spreads to other countries, it will either closedown completely or be replaced. I know that Disney+ is coming out soon, but watching linear TV is still popular in a lot of countries, even where streaming options are available.

From a UK prospective, Disney XD doesn't do that well here, its viewership is equal or lower to Cartoon Network's one-hour later timeshift channel.
 
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lowell

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Disney XD will stay put at least until the Marvel Animation shows finishes their last half of their final seasons and the anime shows's contracts are up. Maybe because if Detective Pokemon becomes successful at Warner Bros., WarnerMedia's Turner Networks will persuade Pokemon to come back to Cartoon Network. But the future of the programming on Disney XD will definitely be more like Nicktoons airing reruns than Boomerang airing originals and I do believe it would also mean it could be an advertising channel for Disney+ by airing the first episodes of each shows exclusively made for the service enticing the subscriber to maybe look at going for it or a Disney+-Hulu-ESPN+ bundle that will be offered. Closing the network would make Disney lose a lot of the commercial airing revenue so likely not happening but distributors of Disney's channels whether it's cable, satellite, etc. always place it on a higher package than Disney Channel and Disney Junior which are usually offered on the basic package, discourages the efforts of Disney from creating more original shows for that channel since it doesn't get a lot of viewers who can't afford more than the basic package. You could've tell the strategy Disney was looking at porting more programming into the main channel once Resistance was announced to premiere on Disney Channel each episode but rerun more on Disney XD and moving Ducktales, Big Hero 6, and Milo Murphy's Law off Disney XD once the sitcom era began to decline. Plus, ratings through the data are looked at alongside data from DisneyNow as more people do tend to go for on demand watching these days. Was anyone surprised Bunk'd got renewed for Season 4? I was because I thought they just tried to end the glory of the Jessie legacy as quick as they could but I'll still be surprised if the show gets a Season 5.
 

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Disney XD will stay put at least until the Marvel Animation shows finishes their last half of their final seasons and the anime shows's contracts are up. Maybe because if Detective Pokemon becomes successful at Warner Bros., WarnerMedia's Turner Networks will persuade Pokemon to come back to Cartoon Network.

That is an interesting theory, but I don't think Cartoon Network would want Pokemon back at this point even if Detective Pikachu turns out to be a successful movie. They seem to be largely uninterested in third party programming these days since they focus primarily on shows that they own or are involved with the production to some degree in order to get more money from them. Plus, I don't think moving back to Cartoon Network would really do the series any favors. They were putting it in terrible timeslots, had no reruns and barely promoted the series after a new season started. Keep in mind that during the XYZ season, Pokemon Go had just come out and the franchise was celebrating its 20th anniversary. Despite the success of the franchise and how much of a hit Pokemon Go turned out to be, Cartoon Network didn't really treat the anime any better. It was still on the 7AM Saturday morning deathslot with no reruns and no promos. I don't think Cartoon Network would treat the anime any different if Detective Pikachu turns out to be a hit either.

It would also be kind of disappointing to lose out on all Pokemon episodes being available on Disney's website and On Demand section, especially when they did promote having all of the dubbed episodes available on their site not too long ago.
 

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Disney XD can't go anywhere soon. Even if they focus only in Marvel, there are not enough series to cover a whole day of schedule. For classic old series they would have to buy the copyrights (like Spider-Man's 90 series) and it could cost too much for Disney. Also, Marvel is not the only thing to air in Disney XD, there's also Star Wars.

And besides, for several years, Disney Channel has been more focused on real action's series than animation. They truly need another channel to show half of their series and movies.
 

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Disney XD can't go anywhere soon. Even if they focus only in Marvel, there are not enough series to cover a whole day of schedule. For classic old series they would have to buy the copyrights (like Spider-Man's 90 series) and it could cost too much for Disney. Also, Marvel is not the only thing to air in Disney XD, there's also Star Wars.

And besides, for several years, Disney Channel has been more focused on real action's series than animation. They truly need another channel to show half of their series and movies.
Honestly, because of distributors placing Disney XD in a higher package, Disney doesn't get as much fees as they get for Disney Channel and Disney Junior, that's why they're not bothering with supplying more content towards XD but more on Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney+. When Star Wars Rebels was still airing, there was a website run by Disney to help Star Wars fans find out how to get Disney XD called Find Star Wars Rebels and it showed the channels for each distributors from cable to satellite, etc., if that didn't raise the number of subscribers even to sign up to higher packages past March last year. As the era of sitcoms is nearly ending with Bunk'd and Raven's Home closing out for a generation, Disney is making sure their animated shows keep those guys from leaving for a few years. Star Wars TV's home is Disney Channel and Disney+ now. As for Marvel, I think Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur might be on Disney Channel as the three shows on Disney XD finishes their final season by the release of Avengers: Endgame. But Disney XD is similar to Freeform in that they get large ad revenue so they won't be shut down or else the network group loses profit by closing a channel that can still collect some money. They will be like Nicktoons airing reruns from their eventually large library of animated shows that will be removed from Netflix and acquired from Fox and not like Boomerang but it still could be a preview channel for Disney+ airing the first episode of every exclusive show from the service to seek more subscribers. And Spider-Man's 1990s shows are actually already part of Disney when they bought Fox Kids from Fox which gave them the Saban library (became ABC Family and now Freeform and library has everything except Power Rangers which was sold back to Saban and now in Hasbro's hands).
 

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Disney XD Germany has changed its YouTube channel to Marvel HQ.

So it looks like the German Disney XD is also changing its name.
Let's not forget that Disney XD Germany has got the same schedule as many other countries.
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animegamer

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Confirmation of Disney XD India being replaced with Marvel HQ, IndianTelevision.com is a reputable source. Disney XD to be rebranded Marvel HQ
They're probably using that TRAI document as the only source for this information and not from Disney themselves.

Marvel shows have been off air on DXD India for a week now. However on the weekend, they continue to show repeats of Mech X4 S1 and Star Wars Rebels from seasons 1 to 3 (I don't think Season 4 even premiered) along with constant repeats of Pokemon and Beyblade. On the weekdays, it's just those two animes and Ultra B (which also airs on Hungama)

They still haven't aired a lot of episodes from Marvel shows, including Marvel's Spider-Man Season 2 and Black Panther's Quest. Star Wars Resistance is yet to air. I don't think Disney Channel India will do a good job in airing them if they ever show there, as they're obsessed with airing Doraemon all the time.

Recently Disney Jio launched, and from what I've read the Marvel cartoons are available on the service.
 

AdrenalineRush1996

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I feel like Marvel HQ should be a separate network than being a rebrand of Disney XD in those countries.

Honestly, because of distributors placing Disney XD in a higher package, Disney doesn't get as much fees as they get for Disney Channel and Disney Junior, that's why they're not bothering with supplying more content towards XD but more on Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney+. When Star Wars Rebels was still airing, there was a website run by Disney to help Star Wars fans find out how to get Disney XD called Find Star Wars Rebels and it showed the channels for each distributors from cable to satellite, etc., if that didn't raise the number of subscribers even to sign up to higher packages past March last year. As the era of sitcoms is nearly ending with Bunk'd and Raven's Home closing out for a generation, Disney is making sure their animated shows keep those guys from leaving for a few years. Star Wars TV's home is Disney Channel and Disney+ now. As for Marvel, I think Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur might be on Disney Channel as the three shows on Disney XD finishes their final season by the release of Avengers: Endgame. But Disney XD is similar to Freeform in that they get large ad revenue so they won't be shut down or else the network group loses profit by closing a channel that can still collect some money. They will be like Nicktoons airing reruns from their eventually large library of animated shows that will be removed from Netflix and acquired from Fox and not like Boomerang but it still could be a preview channel for Disney+ airing the first episode of every exclusive show from the service to seek more subscribers. And Spider-Man's 1990s shows are actually already part of Disney when they bought Fox Kids from Fox which gave them the Saban library (became ABC Family and now Freeform and library has everything except Power Rangers which was sold back to Saban and now in Hasbro's hands).

You forget that Pokemon is on Disney XD, right? And they're treating a lot better than CN to the point that all episodes of the English dub (except Beauty and the Beach and Holiday Hi-Jynx due to the former's English dub only airing a few times due to the content and the latter's English dub hasn't aired in recent times due to Jynx's original design, though said episode did get an edited version with Jynx's current complexion) are available on Disney XD's on demand service, so I don't see Disney XD USA becoming Marvel HQ at all plus it would've been a lot better if DXD was in the same package as its sister channel than in a higher package.
 

lowell

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I feel like Marvel HQ should be a separate network than being a rebrand of Disney XD in those countries.



You forget that Pokemon is on Disney XD, right? And they're treating a lot better than CN to the point that all episodes of the English dub (except Beauty and the Beach and Holiday Hi-Jynx due to the former's English dub only airing a few times due to the content and the latter's English dub hasn't aired in recent times due to Jynx's original design, though said episode did get an edited version with Jynx's current complexion) are available on Disney XD's on demand service, so I don't see Disney XD USA becoming Marvel HQ at all plus it would've been a lot better if DXD was in the same package as its sister channel than in a higher package.
I’ll let you in on the strategy of the distributors of cable, satellite, etc. services, they look at which channels are watched the most and they throw most of it in the basic package (Disney Channel and Disney Junior is are some of the most of the notable kids channels) and then the level of other networks being watched more is diminished as there are more expensive packages above (Disney XD is typically rated to be like Boomerang or TeenNick & Nicktoons, for some reason is above that package level, even though it’s mostly reruns). Whatever the cheapest family get, Disney is still able to pocket the most from Disney Channel and Disney Junior in subscriber fees. While anime shows will be on Disney XD, don’t be so surprised some of those air times could be showing pilot episodes of Disney+ exclusive shows to get more subscribers. Disney doesn’t feel Disney+ Is a cord-cutting strategy but complementary to the TV channels you already pay for, same as rivals like AT&T, Comcast, CBS-Viacom, Discovery, etc.
 

AdrenalineRush1996

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Don't be surprised? I think a lot of anime fans will certainly be surprised if it does happen because do we really want Disney XD to screw up Pokemon like Cartoon Network did? Not really and my point that it would've been better if DXD was on the same package as its sister channels than on an more expensive package that results in not a lot of viewers watching it still stands since at the channel's peak, it stood out from fellow competitors Boomerang and Nicktoons in terms of original content, though I understand why they did it.

If you can air Pokémon on "Kids WB" and "Disney XD", then why not on "Marvel HQ"...
Because I think Marvel HQ should be its own service than a rebrand, say like a streaming service containing Marvel content like DC Universe.
 
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lowell

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Don't be surprised? I think a lot of anime fans will certainly be surprised if it does happen because do we really want Disney XD to screw up Pokemon like Cartoon Network did? Not really and my point that it would've been better if DXD was on the same package as its sister channels than on an more expensive package that results in not a lot of viewers watching it still stands since at the channel's peak, it stood out from fellow competitors Boomerang and Nicktoons in terms of original content, though I understand why they did it.


Because I think Marvel HQ should be its own service than a rebrand, say like a streaming service containing Marvel content like DC Universe.
DC Universe’s the beta for the all-in-one WarnerMedia service and will be folded into it once the mega service launch at the end of this year. Marvel’s content will be divided between Disney+ and Hulu based on the ratings of each film or show. Disney+ is up to PG-13 & Hulu will be taking on Runaways, Netflix-style shows (Defenders likely to move there after Netflix 2-year clause is done)
 

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DC Universe’s the beta for the all-in-one WarnerMedia service and will be folded into it once the mega service launch at the end of this year. Marvel’s content will be divided between Disney+ and Hulu based on the ratings of each film or show. Disney+ is up to PG-13 & Hulu will be taking on Runaways, Netflix-style shows (Defenders likely to move there after Netflix 2-year clause is done)
I'm not really sure that DC Universe will fold into the Warner Media streaming service as I never heard anything that confirmed it, so it's just all speculation plus I do think Marvel should launch their own streaming service to compete against DC Universe. Not every upcoming Marvel show has to be produced for either Disney+, Disney XD, Freeform, ABC, Hulu or Netflix plus Defenders was a miniseries, not an ongoing series.
 

lowell

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I'm not really sure that DC Universe will fold into the Warner Media streaming service as I never heard anything that confirmed it, so it's just all speculation plus I do think Marvel should launch their own streaming service to compete against DC Universe. Not every upcoming Marvel show has to be produced for either Disney+, Disney XD, Freeform, ABC, Hulu or Netflix plus Defenders was a miniseries, not an ongoing series.
They’re not announcing it because they want to gather the data for R&D on the mega service which is still launching by the end of this year. So if you currently either have Boomerang, DC Universe, or even HBO Now subscriptions up until the launch, they plan on moving all subscribers to the new platform. If they weren’t announcing a mega service, you wouldn’t see FilmStruck and DramaFever close so soon. It’s expensive to run many different services and you can unite the fans of all the company’s media under one-stop streaming service that will be affordable than all mini services of the company’s prices combined. This is how they’re trying to organize their distribution without it being so costly because of nicheness or snobbish belief Warner Bros. is not as good as HBO despite being siblings from consumers who can afford HBO and organized streaming is a way to make sure it won’t interfere with their debt payments. Companies don’t diss content anymore because the streaming wars are basically an entertainment arms race. The more assets and content libraries, the better the chance you can launch a service as big as Netflix and build up to the number of subscribers they have. It’s still pretty pricey when they do tiers of separating content but subscribers of the old services typically should get discounted offers when they roll in new platforms to move over. Plus, the thing is DC Universe was announced before the AT&T deal closed in June and due to licensing issues, they can’t offer all DC content to stream on there. There are more opportunities on the new platform considering this is going to combine content from Warner to Turner to HBO to Otter and other licensed programs. Marvel’s basically having archives of MCU both on Disney+ and Hulu and likely non-MCU Marvel titles on Hulu. The only thing to make it perfect is if Disney and WarnerMedia port their Marvel and DC full comic archive available as part of the subscription in their services.
 

AdrenalineRush1996

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They’re not announcing it because they want to gather the data for R&D on the mega service which is still launching by the end of this year. So if you currently either have Boomerang, DC Universe, or even HBO Now subscriptions up until the launch, they plan on moving all subscribers to the new platform. If they weren’t announcing a mega service, you wouldn’t see FilmStruck and DramaFever close so soon. It’s expensive to run many different services and you can unite the fans of all the company’s media under one-stop streaming service that will be affordable than all mini services of the company’s prices combined. This is how they’re trying to organize their distribution without it being so costly because of nicheness or snobbish belief Warner Bros. is not as good as HBO despite being siblings from consumers who can afford HBO and organized streaming is a way to make sure it won’t interfere with their debt payments. Companies don’t diss content anymore because the streaming wars are basically an entertainment arms race. The more assets and content libraries, the better the chance you can launch a service as big as Netflix and build up to the number of subscribers they have. It’s still pretty pricey when they do tiers of separating content but subscribers of the old services typically should get discounted offers when they roll in new platforms to move over. Plus, the thing is DC Universe was announced before the AT&T deal closed in June and due to licensing issues, they can’t offer all DC content to stream on there. There are more opportunities on the new platform considering this is going to combine content from Warner to Turner to HBO to Otter and other licensed programs. Marvel’s basically having archives of MCU both on Disney+ and Hulu and likely non-MCU Marvel titles on Hulu. The only thing to make it perfect is if Disney and WarnerMedia port their Marvel and DC full comic archive available as part of the subscription in their services.
No, they're not announcing it because it's all speculations. Sorry but I don't think it's true since I doubt they'll fold DC Universe just less than a year after the service launched. Film Struck lasted two years before being folded but it has been replaced by a similar service called The Criterion Channel and Drama Fever lasted nearly a decade before it folded, so I don't see DC Universe lasting a short life before being folded plus like DC Universe, a possible Marvel streaming service won't have all Marvel content due to licencing issues as well plus I feel like this has gone off topic, so I'm going to move on from this and stay on topic.
 

lowell

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No, they're not announcing it because it's all speculations. Sorry but I don't think it's true since I doubt they'll fold DC Universe just less than a year after the service launched. Film Struck lasted two years before being folded but it has been replaced by a similar service called The Criterion Channel and Drama Fever lasted nearly a decade before it folded, so I don't see DC Universe lasting a short life before being folded plus like DC Universe, a possible Marvel streaming service won't have all Marvel content due to licencing issues as well plus I feel like this has gone off topic, so I'm going to move on from this and stay on topic.
Proof from Deadline article on the executive in charge of content and strategy on the new service: "An AT&T filing had indicated that the new service will be “consolidating resources from sub-scale D2C efforts,” reaffirming speculation that these existing digital platforms, including DC Universe, would be folded into the new platform."
I guess speculation gets a little closer to the truth once we find these small bits hanging out.
Marvel's definitely not doing a streaming service, Disney+ is actually a company-wide priority for this year like how Star Wars was in 2015 as the hype for TFA was going through. All content production have some collaboration into the service. Having a mega all-in-one service for one price (Disney's doing a different route from WarnerMedia, mostly of different demographic targets so there will be a Disney+-Hulu-ESPN+ bundle offered) has more benefits than niche products like costing less than purchasing too many different services of the whole company, having more selection of programs to choose to watch from while we're waiting for our anticipated shows to be released, and a big subscriber base can make the service more profitable and sustainable than a mini-service with people that have tastes for fancier directions. The only thing that would be great is if the entire catalog of comics from Marvel and DC can also be included in the service. I heard DC Universe, only has comics in rotation while Marvel Unlimited, a full digital comic subscription archive consisting of all titles they have published.
 

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