This article is about the streaming service in Ibero-America. For the Disney+ content hub, see Star (Disney+). For the Hindi-language TV channel, see StarPlus.
Star+ content was merged into Disney+ on June 26, 2024[4] and the separate streaming platform was discontinued on July 24 of the same year.[5]
History
Pre-launch
The "Star" brand originated as a Hong Kong-based satellite broadcaster, which operated under that name as an acronym of "Satellite Television Asian Region." It was founded by Hutchison Whampoa in 1990, and was acquired by News Corporation in 1993.[6] After 2009, the Star brand was mainly restricted to the now separately owned Star China Media, as well as Star India, which operates primarily in India but also distributes Indian vernacular TV programming worldwide and the remaining Asia Pacific rebranded from Star to then Fox International Channels' regional unit.[7] Star India (as well as all of the now Fox Networks Group's Asia Pacific operations[a]) was then acquired by Walt Disney as part of its acquisition of 21st Century Fox on March 20, 2019.
During an earnings call on August 5, 2020, Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced that Disney planned to launch a new international, general entertainment service under the "Star" brand name in 2021.[citation needed] The plan superseded a previously announced international expansion of the majority-controlled American streaming service, Hulu, which has only expanded outside the United States to Japan.[8] Chapek argued that the Hulu brand is not well known outside of the US, while Star being a much more recognizable brand outside of the United States.[9]
Dispute with Lionsgate
In April 2021, Disney faced a trademark dispute in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico with Lionsgate's Starz Entertainment over the use of the Star brand in Ibero-America.[10]The Wrap reported that Disney had five days to respond to the Brazil lawsuit.[11] As a result, on May 13, 2021, it would be announced that the launch of Star+ in Ibero-America would be delayed to August 31.[12][13]
While Disney eventually won the dispute, in July, they would lose an appeal in court in Brazil to the name dispute with Lionsgate.[14] In August 2021, Disney and Starz reached a settlement over the brand name issue allowing Star+ to launch in Ibero-America on August 31 as scheduled. The lawsuit was dropped after the deal was reached.[15][16]
In June 2022, Disney and Lionsgate announced a streaming bundle offer in select Ibero-American countries, consisting of Disney+, Star+ and Lionsgate's Starzplay service.[17]
On September 28, 2022, Lionsgate announced that its Starzplay service would rename to Lionsgate+ worldwide on the next day, including Ibero-America but excluding United States and Canada (where it is still known as Starz in those regions), as well as Cuba which completely ended the name conflict with Disney's Star+ service.[18][19][20]
Merge with Disney+
On December 12, 2023, The Walt Disney Company Latin America has planned to closing down Star+ platform while also to launch both the Star and ESPN hub onto Disney+ from June 26, 2024.[21] The standalone Star+ app, originally planned to discontinued on June 30, 2024, was later got pushed to July 24 of that same year.[5] The announcement was left unnoticed for current Star+ subscribers until they drop the short clip about it.[22]
Content
Star+ served the same purpose as the Star content hub that was integrated into the Disney+ service in several other countries on February 23, 2021.[23][24][25] The services hosted a variety of content from Disney's studios, primarily general entertainment content carried on Disney+, as well as live sports from ESPN.
In addition to acquired content, Star+ produced original, local content in almost all Ibero-American states to be exclusively released on the platform.[26]
^Although, the Asia Pacific operations do operate "Star"-branded TV services to date, to varying degrees. Not to be confused with the Japanese premium TV network of the same name, which albeit then a co-owned venture with three Japanese partners, is now a wholly separate business as the former 21st Century Fox sold its stake before the Disney acquisition completed.
