Disney announced earlier today via a virtual Walt Disney Company Media Day event that Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia will finally be available in Malaysia on 1 June 2021.
Under Disney+ Hotstar, Malaysians can watch over 800 films and 18,000 episodes of popular series from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic. These arms include favourites and new releases like Disney Aladdin, Frozen II, The Mandalorian, Hamilton, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
While there is no mention of Disney+’s ‘Star’ label, series, and films such as Nomadland, The Walking Dead, Jojo Rabbit, Criminal Minds, Fresh off the Boat, The Simpsons, Grey’s Anatomy, 9-1-1 that are typically found under the label will still be available on Hotstar under the general ‘Serial’ and ‘Film’ categories.
Unique to Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia subscribers are access to new and popular Malaysian movies and series, as well as exclusive Malaysian titles on the service such as Zombitopia, Penjara Janji, Semanis Senyumanmu and more. Disney+ Hotstar will be the exclusive home to some of Malaysia’s most anticipated blockbusters, which will skip theatres and launch straight on the streaming service too.
In addition, Disney+ Hotstar will also house content from the Asia region, such as your favourite Bollywood Hindi movies and Tamil blockbuster films.
Disney+ Hotstar is priced at RM54.90 for 3 months – rounding out to RM18.30 per month and will be available on both Android and iOS devices as well as compatible Smart TVs.
As of now, there is no yearly or month-to-month subscription plan available. This differs from Disney+ launches in the US and in Singapore where subscribers have the option to roll over their subscription on a monthly basis or sign up for a yearly subscription.
In the US, a month-to-month subscription costs US$8 and costs US$80 for a yearly subscription. In Singapore, a Disney+ subscription is S$11.98 (US$9) monthly or an annual fee of S$119.98 (US$90).
Whilst it seems like the subscription fee to Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia is pricier compared to Disney+ US and Singapore, a 3 month package works out to only US$13 or US$4 per month. This makes it one of the cheapest deals in the region.
All things considered, Disney+ Hotstar turns out to be a pretty good deal for Malaysians as they have additional homegrown series and blockbusters, as well as Bollywood and Tamil content at their fingertips on top of content from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and National Geographic.
Following speculations, the service will also be available in partnership with Astro TV for Movies Pack subscribers. The Astro Movies Pack basically means that fans can enjoy Disney+ Hotstar as part of their subscription from 1 June 2021. Geek Culture understands that Malaysians can still subscribe to Disney+ Hotstar directly.
Whilst waiting for the launch, Malaysians can check out the official Disney+ Hotstar website for more details.
Don’t judge a book by its cover, for behind all this makeup, is a geek just like you. To simply put it, superheroes, Star Wars, Harry Potter and all things gore and creepy makes this girly girl swoon.
Natalie
Joey Leong
