In a definitive move to cement its leadership in the Middle East, Disney+ has launched a landmark three-way “hard bundle” with MBC Group’s Shahid and OSN+. Effective December 18, 2025, this commercial alliance allows subscribers in the GCC to access the region’s three most powerful content libraries—Disney+ (Global IP), Shahid (Local Arabic Leader), and OSN+ (HBO/Premium Cable)—through a single, unified subscription managed by Shahid. This is not just a bundle; it is a masterclass in modern distribution, mirroring the same “Partner-First” logic behind the creation of JioStar in India. It signals that Disney is prioritizing smart, frictionless access for consumers over rigid exclusivity.

The deal orchestrates a powerful alliance between Disney, regional market leader Shahid (part of MBC Group), and premium pay-TV veteran OSN. The architecture was driven by Natasha Matos-Hemingway (Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer, Shahid) and Karl Holmes (SVP & General Manager, Disney+ EMEA). This mirrors the collaborative leadership seen in India, where Kevin Vaz (CEO, JioStar Entertainment) and Kiran Mani (CEO, JioStar Digital) are actively operationalizing Disney’s massive scale through the JioStar joint venture.

This deal clarifies Disney’s 2025 strategy: a sophisticated alternative to Netflix’s “build-everything” vertical integration. While Netflix has impressively built production hubs in 50+ countries—a high-cost, high-control model—Disney is pursuing “Strategic Interdependence.”

• In India, Disney merged assets with Reliance to form JioStar, instantly securing access to 500 million+ users and empowering a local giant to lead the “last mile.”

• In MENA, they are bundling with Shahid to solve payment friction and churn.

• In Japan, they are hosting a TVing “shop-in-shop” to solve the K-content supply need. This allows Disney to enter markets faster, with lower capital expenditure, while ensuring their brand remains the “premium anchor” in every major local bundle.

The MENA bundle is the capstone of a deliberate 12-month global strategy where Disney has successfully swapped isolation for high-value collaboration:

• India (The “Mega-Merger”): The most ambitious example. Disney merged operations with Viacom18 to form JioStar. By partnering with Reliance, they instantly unlocked a market of ~50 crore (500M) users, securing an unassailable leadership position.

• United Kingdom (July 2025): The “Reciprocal Windowing” Model. Disney executed a smart visibility swap with ITV, placing The Bear on ITVX to intercept local audiences while gaining ITV hits like Love Island to drive local engagement on Disney+.

• Japan (November 2025): The “Shop-in-Shop” Model. Disney+ Japan launched a dedicated “TVing Collection” hub, ingesting 60+ titles from CJ ENM, ensuring they remain a top destination for K-drama fans without shouldering the full production risk.

• France (February 2025): The “Regulatory Peace” Model. Disney signed a pact with Canal+ and French Film Guilds. In exchange for funding French cinema, they won the rights to stream their own movies (e.g., Deadpool & Wolverine) just 9 months after theatrical release, proving that cooperation accelerates growth.

• Germany (August 2025): The “Reverse Licensing” Model. Disney licensed 3,000+ episodes from ZDF Studios (Der Bergdoktor) to instantly satisfy local content quotas with proven hits.

The operational win here is “Distributed Subscriber Management.” By allowing partners like Shahid (MENA) and JioStar (India) to handle the billing and customer lifecycle, Disney removes the friction of local payments. It shifts the tactical burden of churn management to the partner who owns the bundle, freeing Disney to focus on what it does best: creating the global “anchor” content (Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar) that drives the initial sign-up.

The streaming industry has evolved into two winning models. Netflix wins by building—owning the pipe from production to delivery globally. Disney is now winning by partnering—becoming the essential “super-tile” in every local ecosystem. Disney’s pivot acknowledges that in markets with strong incumbents (like Reliance in India or Shahid in MENA), being the “Must-Have Partner” is the smartest path to long-term profitability and cultural ubiquity.