Disney+’s content acquisition strategy for 2026 represents a dramatic pivot from the volume-first approach that cost the company $4 billion. Bob Iger admitted to investors in early 2025 that Disney “tried to tell too many stories” during the streaming wars—and it didn’t work. The new playbook? Quality over quantity, franchise-focused development, and a $24 billion annual content spend (down from a peak of $33 billion). Disney+ is prioritizing Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Avatar extensions, slashing the number of titles produced while demanding higher production values and global appeal.

For producers, distributors, and sales agents evaluating Disney+ as a potential buyer in 2026, the calculus has changed. Here’s what’s driving Disney’s content decisions—and what it means for sellers navigating this recalibrated landscape.

Bob Iger’s Strategic Pivot: From Volume to Value

When Bob Iger returned as Disney CEO in November 2022, he inherited a streaming division hemorrhaging cash. Disney+ had spent lavishly to build its catalog, greenlighting hundreds of projects across markets and genres. But here’s the thing: quantity doesn’t equal engagement. And engagement doesn’t necessarily translate to retention or profit.

By Q1 2024, Disney+ had achieved something its predecessor Bob Chapek couldn’t—streaming profitability. The turning point? A cold-eyed assessment of what actually worked. “We lost a little focus,” Iger told investors. Disney+ had been “flooding” the platform with content regardless of quality or franchise fit. Content spend hit $33 billion in FY2022. The result? $4 billion in losses as subscribers came for The Mandalorian but churned after watching lower-tier filler.

The new Disney+ content acquisition strategy reflects lessons learned from the “Peak TV” collapse. Netflix had already shifted away from the volume game—cutting originals, raising prices, cracking down on password sharing. Disney’s watching that playbook closely. Netflix’s content strategy now emphasizes hit-driven programming with global scalability, not regional catalog stuffing.

What changed? Disney’s realizing what streamers like Apple TV+ knew from the start: a smaller slate of premium titles drives more value than hundreds of forgettable shows. As of FY2026, Disney plans roughly 215 titles annually—down significantly from earlier years. That’s fewer greenlights, higher budgets per project, longer development cycles.

Expert Insight: Phil Hunt, CEO of Head Gear Films, discusses the post-COVID production financing “big crunch” and why it’s “much harder to get movies off the ground and get movies sold” in 2025.

The Disney+ programming strategy for 2026 isn’t just cost discipline—it’s strategic repositioning. Disney’s betting that owning fewer but more valuable franchises beats licensing vast libraries of third-party content. It’s weaponized distribution: use owned IP as leverage, not volume as scale.

Want to understand how other streaming platforms approach acquisition? Ask VIQI about streaming acquisition patterns →

Disney+’s 2026 Content Budget: The Numbers Behind the Strategy

Let’s talk money. Disney CFO Hugh Johnston confirmed at the Wells Fargo TMT Summit in November 2025 that Disney’s total content spending for FY2026 would hit $24 billion. That’s split roughly 50-50 between sports (ESPN’s domain) and entertainment (Disney+, Hulu, and linear). The entertainment half—about $12 billion—funds the Disney+ slate alongside Hulu’s general entertainment programming.

Compare that to the $33 billion Disney planned to spend at the peak of the streaming wars in FY2022. We’re seeing a $9 billion reduction—not because Disney’s retreating, but because it’s optimizing. Johnston made it clear: Disney’s content spending won’t grow faster than its direct-to-consumer revenue. Translation: No more burning cash to buy market share. Profitability comes first.

How does Disney+’s 2026 content investment compare to competitors? Amazon Prime Video reportedly spends $16+ billion annually on content (combining Prime Video and live sports rights). Netflix’s content budget sits around $17 billion for 2025. Disney’s $12 billion entertainment spend might seem conservative, but remember—Disney owns Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and 20th Century. Those libraries generate massive downstream revenue through merchandising, parks, and licensing.

The Disney+ original content budget prioritizes:

• Franchise development: Marvel Cinematic Universe shows, Star Wars series, Pixar spin-offs
• Premium tentpoles: High-budget series with global distribution potential (e.g., Moving Season 2 from Korea)
• Selective international originals: Not volume, but hits with cross-border appeal

And that’s key. Disney’s not abandoning international content—it’s being “selective,” per Iger’s own words in November 2024. More on that shortly.

What Types of Content Is Disney+ Prioritizing in 2026?

So what does Disney actually want? Let’s break down the Disney+ content acquisition priorities by category.

Franchise-Driven Tentpoles

This is where the money flows. Disney+’s 2025-2026 slate centers on established IP:

• Marvel: Daredevil: Born Again, Wonder Man, potential X-Men series
• Star Wars: Andor Season 2, The Acolyte, Ahsoka Season 2, Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 (anime anthology)
• Pixar: Win or Lose (2025), planning stages for Coco 2 (2029 release)
• Avatar: Following Avatar: Fire and Ash theatrical success, Disney’s exploring series extensions

Why the franchise obsession? Simple—these titles drive subscriber acquisition AND retention. Fans don’t churn before the next season drops. Merchandise flies off shelves. Theme park integrations print money. It’s the Disney flywheel at work.

Premium Originals vs. Licensed Content

Disney’s moving away from licensed catalog content. The Hulu integration (more below) gives Disney+ access to FX, 20th Television, and ABC Studios libraries—eliminating the need to license third-party content to fill gaps.

Original production now focuses on “fewer but higher-quality releases,” per Disney’s 2024 annual report. That means greenlighting projects with:

• Global scalability: Content that works in 50+ markets, not just domestic
• Strong IP potential: Can this spawn sequels, spin-offs, or park attractions?
• Premium production values: No more low-budget filler shows

For independent producers, this is tough medicine. Disney+ isn’t looking for “good enough” anymore. You’re competing against billion-dollar franchises with decades of brand equity.

Adult Content via Hulu Integration

Here’s where it gets interesting. Disney officially integrated Hulu’s subscription VOD library into Disney+ in October 2025, bringing TV-MA and R-rated content directly into the platform globally. Domestically, that means The Handmaid’s Tale, The Bear, and FX’s prestige dramas sit alongside Frozen and The Mandalorian.

The Disney+ content mix now includes:

• Family-friendly core: Disney animation, Pixar, Marvel’s lighter fare
• General entertainment: Hulu originals, 20th Television shows, ABC content
• Adult-oriented: FX on Hulu, TV-MA series, R-rated films

What’s this mean for acquisitions? Disney+ can now buy mature content without brand dilution concerns. But—and it’s a big but—they’re still prioritizing owned IP over third-party licensing. If your project isn’t a franchise extension or doesn’t fit the FX/Hulu brand, your path in is narrow.

Ready to explore alternative buyers? Explore 1,400+ content buyers on Vitrina →

International Content Strategy: Selective, Not Expansive

Disney’s international content strategy has shifted dramatically. In November 2024, Bob Iger told analysts that Disney’s content investment in EMEA and APAC has “slowed down.” He cited two reasons: (1) Disney’s global franchises perform exceptionally well in local markets, reducing the need for expensive local originals, and (2) technology challenges in managing distributed production.

Translation? Disney’s not betting big on regional content factories anymore.

Here’s the data: Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2 both grossed over $1 billion globally, with massive box office in Asia-Pacific markets. Iger’s logic: “We don’t have to spend as much as some of our competitors” because Disney’s core IP travels. Netflix, by contrast, invests heavily in local-language originals—Korean dramas, Japanese anime, Turkish series—to build regional subscriber bases.

Disney’s approach is “selective investing outside the United States,” per Iger. That means:

• Korea: Moving Season 2 (following the massive success of the first season)
• Japan: Anime partnerships, Star Wars: Visions Volume 3
• Southeast Asia: Reduced from earlier ambitions

The goal of greenlighting 50+ APAC originals by 2023 (announced in 2021) has been quietly scaled back. Carol Choi, EVP of Original Content Strategy for APAC, now emphasizes “quality, best-in-class tentpole titles” rather than volume. The company’s focusing on “premium, talent-driven originals”—think Moving, not generic regional filler.

What’s driving the pullback? Cost. Local production budgets were ballooning without commensurate subscriber growth. Technology headaches around managing co-productions across markets. And the realization that Avatar: Fire and Ash does better in China than most locally-produced content.

For international producers pitching Disney+, the bar is now “global breakout hit” level. Not “solid regional performer.”

Expert Insight: Rolla Karam, SVP Content Acquisition at OSN, discusses how streaming platforms approach content acquisition across 23 MENA countries, balancing Western content (90%) with regional Arabic and Turkish programming.

The Hulu Integration Factor: What It Means for Acquisitions

By the end of 2026, Hulu will be fully integrated into Disney+ as a unified app experience. Subscribers can still opt for Disney+ or Hulu separately, but the bundle approach—Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited for $29.99/month—is where Disney’s pushing consumers.

Why does this matter for content acquisition? Because it consolidates buying power. Instead of separate teams acquiring for Disney+ and Hulu, Disney Entertainment now operates under a unified content strategy. Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, co-chairs of Disney Entertainment, oversee the combined portfolio.

The Hulu integration gives Disney+ access to:

• FX originals: The Bear, Reservation Dogs, Shōgun
• 20th Television library: Modern Family, This Is Us, Abbott Elementary
• General entertainment: Reality shows, docuseries, unscripted formats

Hulu’s content acquisition strategy historically leaned on next-day broadcast content and licensed catalog. Now that it’s under the Disney+ umbrella, the focus shifts to owned IP and FX prestige.

For sellers, this creates both opportunity and compression. Opportunity: Disney+ can now buy adult-skewing content that wouldn’t fit the family brand. Compression: You’re competing for fewer greenlight slots as Hulu and Disney+ consolidate.

The combined platform has 195.7 million global subscribers (as of September 2025). That’s scale—but Disney’s not chasing subscriber growth anymore. It’s chasing margin expansion. CFO Hugh Johnston wants streaming operating margins of 10% for Disney+/Hulu by FY2026. That means selective acquisitions that drive engagement without inflating content spend.

How to Sell Content to Disney+ in 2026

Let’s get tactical. How do you actually get Disney+ to buy your content?

First, understand the gatekeepers. Disney doesn’t accept unsolicited pitches via a public portal (unlike some platforms). You need representation—a sales agent, distributor, or production company with existing Disney relationships. Companies like:

• International sales agents with Disney+ track records
• Production companies in overall or first-look deals
• Co-production partners (especially in APAC markets)

Second, evaluate fit using the Vitrina Disney+ Content Fit Matrix™:

1. Does it extend an existing Disney franchise? If yes, you’re in the highest-priority bucket.
2. Is it a premium tentpole with global appeal? If yes, you’ve got a shot—but production values need to match Disney’s standards.
3. Is it a local-language hit with cross-border potential? Maybe—if it’s Moving-level quality, not regional filler.
4. Is it volume catalog content? Probably not—Disney’s deprioritizing this in 2026.

Third, recognize the realities:

• Budget thresholds: Disney’s focusing on higher-budget projects. Mid-tier indie content ($2M-$5M budgets) faces an uphill battle unless it’s franchise-adjacent.
• Global rights required: Disney wants worldwide streaming rights, not territory-by-territory licensing.
• Production timeline flexibility: Disney’s development cycles are longer now (quality over speed). If you need fast cash, look elsewhere.
• Franchise potential matters: Can this spawn sequels, spin-offs, or theme park integrations? If not, you’re at a disadvantage.

For documentary and unscripted formats, explore selling documentaries online strategies that leverage content distribution partnerships beyond just Disney+.

Need guidance on your active pitch? Get expert guidance on pitching to Disney+ →

FAQ: Disney+ Content Acquisition

How Vitrina Helps Navigate Streaming Buyers

Disney+ is one buyer in a landscape of 1,400+ content acquirers globally. If your content doesn’t fit Disney’s 2026 priorities, where else should you look? How to sell content to streamers requires understanding each platform’s acquisition strategy, budget ranges, and genre preferences.

Vitrina’s platform gives producers, distributors, and sales agents:

• Buyer database: 1,400+ content acquirers including Disney+, Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV+, regional streamers, and linear broadcasters—searchable by genre, territory, and content type
• Acquisition intelligence: Track buyer priorities, recent deals, and strategic shifts (like Disney’s quality-over-quantity pivot)
• Direct connections: Reach decision-makers at platforms without cold outreach guesswork
• Comparative analysis: Evaluate which streamers match your content using Vitrina’s filtering tools

Whether you’re pitching a Marvel-adjacent franchise extension or a regional Korean drama, understanding the full buyer landscape matters. Use VIQI to research streaming acquisition patterns. Browse buyer profiles on the platform via Sign-up. Or get hands-on support navigating active pitches through Vitrina Concierge.

Conclusion

Disney+’s content acquisition strategy for 2026 reflects the end of the streaming wars’ volume-first era. Bob Iger’s $24 billion budget prioritizes franchise-driven tentpoles, premium originals with global appeal, and selective international hits—not catalog stuffing. For content sellers, the bar’s higher: you’re competing against Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Avatar for greenlight slots. But understanding Disney’s strategic pivot gives you clarity on where your content fits—or doesn’t.

If Disney+ isn’t the right match, explore other platforms. The global streaming landscape offers alternatives with different acquisition strategies, budget ranges, and genre priorities.