As streamers purge more and more content from their platforms, Disney+ has just pulled a sci-fi blockbuster that was released just weeks ago.
The numbers are in, and it looks like Secret Invasion hasn’t won over the hearts and minds of fans, ranking as the second-lowest-viewing MCU Disney+ premiere to date.
The streaming platform has just deleted the 2023 film Crater, which recently premiered on the streamer last May. That means the sci-fi movie spent less than two months in public after its release.
Streaming platforms seem to be trimming their content libraries and removing entire series and movies without much warning.
Disney+ is certainly not the first to make such a controversial move. Paramount+ recently canceled and removed it Grease prequel series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies just three weeks after the season 1 finale of the reality competition series aired Queen of the Universe midway through the current season.
The young cast of Crater on Disney+.
And more movies and series are expected to be pulled from Disney+ in the coming months. Disney CFO Christine McCarthy announced during an earnings call in May that the platform would “remove certain content from streaming platforms.” According The Hollywood Reporter, the company will get a $1.5 billion tax write-off because of the content it’s removing.
Crater is a sci-fi family adventure starring McKenna Grace and Scott Mescudi, aka rapper Kid Cudi. The film follows a young boy growing up on a lunar colony who decides to explore a legendary crater with his group of best friends before one of them moves to another planet. The film opened in May 2023 to mixed reception (64% on Rotten Tomatoes and a “SKIP IT” from Decider’s own John Serba).
This is the latest movie to be removed from Disney+. In May, the company was removed Willow tree, Doll, and over 50 other titles. As Paramount+ claimed, McCarthy said at the time that these decisions were being made in line with the company’s “approach to content curation.”
The decision to remove entire series and movies from streaming platforms has left creators at a loss for how to continue their careers.
Disney+ isn’t alone – Paramount+ has just pulled new series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies from its platform. Image: Eduardo Araquel/Paramount+
Eliza Skinner, head writer of the series Land to Nedwas not notified in advance when her series was pulled from Disney+ in May.
“We have no idea how to project the future in any direction because it’s very hard to tell what’s going on,” Skinner said The Hollywood Reporter. “If you go to a museum, nobody says, ‘People don’t stop at this painting for a long time anymore – let’s throw it in the trash.’ Or, if you did, we’d all have to assume, “Well, that painting is useless.”
More movies and series are expected to be pulled from the streaming platform in the third quarter.
It is currently unclear whether Crater will be available on another streaming platform.
This story originally appeared on Decision maker and republished here with permission.
