Why Pixar's Soul Will Be Free For Disney+ Subscribers, Unlike Mulan

Because movie theaters have been closed in 2020, movie studios have had to pivot, either pushing back movie theater releases or going VOD. The latest film to pivot in this way is Pixar's Soul, which will arrive on Disney+ on December 25. Disney's Mulan also released on the streaming service, but at a premium price. So why is Soul going a different route?

During the Q4 earnings investor call Disney CEO Bob Chapek discussed why this decision was made. "From a studio content standpoint, we were very pleased with the results of Mulan as a Premier Access title, and as you remember, that was our very first foray into strategy like Premier Access," Chapek explained. "Unfortunately, that title met with some controversy, both in the US and internationally shortly after we released it.

"But we saw enough very positive results before that controversy started to know that we've got something here in terms of the Premier Access strategy," Chapek continued, and he said he'll explain a bit more about that strategy in December. "In terms of Soul, we also realized that part of the lifeblood Disney+ is providing great content to the base level subscribers that are in there. So the idea is that we thought it was a really nice gesture to our subscribers to take Soul during the holiday period and provide that as part of the service."

So while there is a bigger strategic plan behind what will and will not be on Premier Access in the future, Disney is essentially giving Disney+ subscribers a Christmas present on December 25. While the company is having an issue with its parks staying closed, at least loyal subscribers and fans are getting a little something extra next month.